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The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, has rejected corruption allegations levelled against him and members of his family by billionaire industrialist and Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, describing the claims as “wild and spurious.”
Ahmed made this known in a formal disclaimer obtained by Channels Television, where he denied issuing any prior public response to the allegations circulating in the media. According to him, the statement previously attributed to him did not originate from his office, stressing that he deliberately chose not to engage in a public exchange with the businessman.
“My attention has been drawn to a purported response I was said to have made on the recent allegations against my person. I hereby state categorically that the so-called statement did not emanate from me,” Ahmed said.
The NMDPRA boss explained that, as the regulator of a sensitive sector of the Nigerian economy, he preferred to wait for an official investigative process rather than engage in what he described as public “brickbat.” He noted that Dangote had already escalated the matter to a formal investigative institution, which he believes would allow the issues to be objectively examined.
“Thankfully, the person behind the allegations has taken it to a formal investigative institution. I believe that would provide an opportunity to dispassionately distill the issues and to clear my name,” he added.
The dispute between the two figures resurfaced after Dangote accused Ahmed of economic sabotage, alleging that regulatory actions by the NMDPRA were undermining domestic refining efforts in Nigeria. The disagreement dates back to July 2024, when Ahmed reportedly claimed that locally refined petroleum products, including those from the Dangote Refinery, were of lower quality compared to imported fuel.
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Dangote had strongly denied the claims, publicly demonstrating the quality of diesel produced at his refinery during an oversight visit by federal lawmakers.
More than a year later, the Africa’s richest man petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging that Ahmed was living beyond his legitimate means. Dangote claimed that four of Ahmed’s children were enrolled in secondary schools in Switzerland at an estimated cost of several million dollars, raising concerns about conflict of interest and integrity in regulatory oversight.
At a press conference in Lagos, Dangote said Nigerians deserved transparency, questioning how a public officer could afford such expenses while many families struggled to pay basic school fees.
The allegations have since generated nationwide debate, with Ahmed insisting that the investigative process would ultimately vindicate him.
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