The intensifying battle over petrol pricing and regulation in Nigeria took a sharper turn on Sunday as President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, accused the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, of corruption and regulatory misconduct. Dangote alleged that Ahmed spent about $5 million on the secondary school education of his four children in Switzerland, an amount he said was difficult to reconcile with the earnings of a public official.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, Dangote called for a full investigation into the allegation, insisting that Ahmed should appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal or any relevant anti-corruption body to explain the source of the funds. He said failure to address the allegation would continue to erode public confidence and discourage investment in the downstream petroleum sector.
Dangote stressed that he was relaying concerns brought to his attention and not making a personal attack, but maintained that the alleged expenditure raised serious ethical and financial questions. He noted that such a level of spending would ordinarily attract scrutiny from tax authorities, even for private business owners, let alone a career public servant.
The billionaire businessman expressed concern over the contrast between the alleged foreign education expenses and the financial hardship facing ordinary Nigerians. He said many families, particularly in northern Nigeria, struggle to pay school fees as low as ₦100,000, forcing children out of school. Dangote added that even his own children attended secondary school in Nigeria, not abroad.
While clarifying that he was not calling for Ahmed’s removal, Dangote said a transparent investigation was necessary to determine whether the regulator had compromised his office to the detriment of national economic interests. He described the situation as “economic sabotage” and warned that he would publish details of the alleged tuition payments and pursue legal action if the claims were denied.
Dangote also criticised what he described as deep-rooted structural problems in the downstream petroleum sector, alleging that powerful interests continue to benefit from fuel imports at the expense of domestic refining. He said it was unethical for Nigeria to keep importing refined petroleum products despite having significant local refining capacity.
He further warned against the blurring of lines between regulation and commercial activity, insisting that traders should not influence regulatory decisions. According to him, although dozens of licences have been issued, no new refineries are being built because the operating environment remains hostile to genuine investors.
The NMDPRA had earlier dismissed similar allegations made in July, describing them as a coordinated smear campaign based on false claims and insisting that Ahmed and the agency’s leadership acted within the law. When contacted on Sunday for a response to Dangote’s latest comments, NMDPRA spokesman, George Ene-Ita, declined to comment.
Dangote maintained that Nigerians would ultimately benefit from local refining, even as fuel importers face losses. He said the Dangote Refinery was working round the clock to ensure that recent reductions in petrol prices at the gantry level are fully reflected at filling stations across the country.
