The Nigerian oil and gas industry is facing renewed tension as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) announced it will investigate a petition against Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).The
petition was submitted by Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, on December 16, 2025.Dangote, through his lawyer Ogwu Onoja (SAN), accused Ahmed of financial misconduct, alleging that he spent over $7 million on the overseas education of his four children in Switzerland, purportedly without a legitimate source of income. The petition claims that this expenditure violated the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and constituted a diversion of public funds for personal use.
According to Dangote, successful prosecution could lead to a five-year jail term without an option of a fine. The billionaire businessman stressed that Ahmed’s actions, if proven, could undermine public trust in Nigeria’s petroleum sector and damage investor confidence.
The ICPC has confirmed receipt of the petition and said the matter would be investigated. Spokesperson John Odey stated, “The ICPC wishes to confirm that we received a formal petition today from Alhaji Aliko Dangote through his lawyer. The petition is against the CEO of NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed, and it will be thoroughly examined.”However, the petition has met with pushback from various quarters. A coalition of 40 lawyers under Lawyers in Defence of Democracy and Anti-Corruption described the allegations as unfounded and a media-driven attempt to tarnish Ahmed’s reputation.They
argued that Ahmed’s regulatory reforms are in the public interest, aimed at curbing monopolistic practices and promoting investor participation in the petroleum sector.Student and civil society groups, including the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and over 50 other organisations, have also defended Ahmed. They condemned the allegations as baseless and warned against media trials that could destabilize the sector and erode public confidence in regulatory institutions.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) expressed strong support for Ahmed, highlighting the NMDPRA’s efforts to improve transparency, competition, and operational efficiency in the downstream petroleum sector.PETROAN
warned that public disputes between regulators and private players, particularly in the wake of the Dangote Refinery’s operations, could discourage foreign investment and disrupt fuel supply.Dangote has called for a full investigation into Ahmed’s finances, suggesting that the CEO should appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for a public explanation.
