The ongoing petrol price dispute in Nigeria took a new twist as Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, accused the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, of spending about $5 million on the secondary education of his four children in Switzerland. Dangote called for a full investigation and public explanation, describing the alleged spending as a form of economic sabotage.

Speaking at a briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, Dangote said the expenditure was difficult to reconcile with the earnings of a public official. He argued that such an amount, if true, would ordinarily attract scrutiny from tax authorities and highlighted the contrast with the hardships faced by ordinary Nigerian families struggling to pay school fees.

Dangote clarified that he was not calling for Ahmed’s removal but urged proper accountability. He suggested that the Code of Conduct Bureau or other appropriate government bodies investigate the matter. He also said he would take legal steps to compel the schools to disclose the payments if necessary.

Beyond the personal allegation, Dangote criticised the broader downstream petroleum sector, claiming entrenched interests profit from fuel imports at the expense of domestic refining. He warned that allowing commercial traders to influence regulators undermines sector integrity and hampers the growth of new refineries.

Dangote stressed that Nigerians would ultimately benefit from local refining and that his company was committed to ensuring lower petrol prices at the pump.

When contacted, the NMDPRA spokesperson, George Ene-Ita, declined to comment on the allegations.