President Bola Tinubu is facing mounting pressure to dismiss the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed. The call follows serious allegations of corruption levelled against the agency's boss by Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Coalition Demands Immediate Action
A coalition of civil society organisations, spearheaded by the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI), has publicly called for the president to act swiftly and sack Engr. Farouk Ahmed. The demand was made during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
The groups anchored by Danesi Momoh Prince and Igwe Ume-Udenta cited Dangote's stunning claim that the NMDPRA CEO paid approximately five million dollars in secondary school tuition fees for his children attending institutions in Switzerland. They argue that the failure of Ahmed to refute these grave allegations nearly 48 hours after they were made public is unbecoming of a public official.
Dangote's Explosive Allegations
The crisis stems from a press conference held by Aliko Dangote at his Lagos refinery on Sunday, December 14. The billionaire industrialist accused Engr. Farouk Ahmed of economic sabotage, alleging that the NMDPRA leadership is colluding with international oil traders to undermine Nigeria's domestic refining capacity by persistently issuing import licences for petroleum products.
Beyond the policy dispute, Dangote made a personal corruption allegation, stating that Ahmed was living far beyond his legitimate means. He specifically claimed that four of the CEO's children are enrolled in Swiss secondary schools at a cost running into several million dollars.
Political and Public Reactions
The civil society coalition insists the allegations warrant immediate investigation by anti-graft agencies, notably the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They warned that failure to act would send a negative signal about the government's commitment to fighting corruption.
In a related development, political activist and former APC deputy national publicity secretary, Timi Frank, also urged President Tinubu to suspend Ahmed and order a full probe. In a statement issued on Tuesday, December 16, Frank described the allegations as serious and praised Dangote for his public service in raising the issue.
Engr. Farouk Ahmed was appointed as the inaugural NMDPRA CEO by former President Muhammadu Buhari in September 2021, following the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). The authority is a key regulator in the nation's vital oil and gas sector.
