Farouk Ahmed has resigned as Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, following corruption allegations raised by Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group.

 

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed Ahmed’s resignation in a statement revealing that Gbenga Komolafe had stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC. Onanuga added that President Bola Tinubu had submitted the names of two nominees to the Senate for confirmation as replacements.

 

The President has nominated Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Saidu Mohammed as NMDPRA MD. Onanuga described the nominees as seasoned professionals within the oil and gas sector.

Ahmed’s resignation follows a tense exchange with Dangote, which saw the billionaire industrialist petition the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the former NMDPRA chief for alleged financial misconduct.

 

READ ALSO:

DANGOTE, FUEL IMPORTERS CLASH IN PETROL PRICE WAR

 

Dangote’s petition, submitted through his lawyer Ogwu Onoja, accused Ahmed of living beyond his means, claiming that four of Ahmed’s children had attended secondary schools in Switzerland, with costs running into millions of dollars. According to Dangote, approximately $5 million had been spent on their education and upkeep over six years, in addition to $2 million for tertiary education, including a $210,000 fee for a Harvard MBA program for one of Ahmed’s children.

 

The petition called on the ICPC to arrest, investigate, and prosecute Ahmed, urging swift action to protect the integrity of President Tinubu’s administration.

“We have no reservation that the ICPC will act decisively to ensure that justice is done,” the petition read. The ICPC has confirmed it will investigate the allegations.

 

The controversy between Ahmed and Dangote intensified following a series of public accusations. Dangote accused Ahmed’s NMDPRA of sabotaging Nigeria’s local refining capacity by issuing import licenses for petroleum products. At a press conference at Dangote Refinery in Lagos, the billionaire alleged that the regulator was working with international traders and oil importers, undermining local operators and perpetuating the country’s reliance on fuel imports.

 

In response, Ahmed issued a brief statement dismissing Dangote’s allegations as “wild and spurious.” He added, “As a regulator of a sensitive industry, I have opted not to engage in public brickbats. Thankfully, the person behind the allegations has taken it to a formal investigative institution. I believe that will provide an opportunity to clear my name.”

 

Source: Channels