Dangote accuses NMDPRA Chief of economic sabotage, calls for investigation
The President and CEO of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has called for a full investigation and prosecution of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr Farouk Ahmed, accusing him of economic sabotage that undermines domestic refining.
Speaking at a press conference at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery on Sunday, Dangote alleged that Ahmed and NMDPRA officials are colluding with international oil traders to frustrate local refining by continuing to issue import licences for petroleum products despite available domestic capacity.
Dangote further claimed that Ahmed’s personal lifestyle raises questions about potential conflicts of interest, highlighting that four of his children reportedly attend secondary schools in Switzerland at costs running into millions of dollars.
He assured Nigerians that the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) would fall below N740 per litre from Tuesday, starting in Lagos, as his refinery has reduced the gantry price to N699 per litre. “MRS filling stations will be the first to reflect this price drop,” Dangote said.
The industrialist decried Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported fuel, noting that import licences covering about 7.5 billion litres of PMS had been issued for the first quarter of 2026, despite the availability of domestic refining capacity.
He warned that modular refineries are struggling under the current policy environment, with the persistent issuance of import permits undermining the sector.
“I am not calling for his removal, but for a proper investigation. He should account for his actions and demonstrate that he has not compromised his position to the detriment of Nigerians. This amounts to economic sabotage,” Dangote said.
He also questioned how many Nigerians could afford the alleged $5 million spent on Ahmed’s children’s secondary school tuition, comparing it to the struggles of average parents in Sokoto State.
Dangote stressed the importance of separating regulatory oversight from commercial interests, warning against allowing traders to influence regulation. “A trader should never be a regulator. Forty-seven licences have been issued, yet no new refineries are being built because the environment is not conducive,” he added.
The refinery has also reduced its minimum purchase requirement from two million litres to 500,000 litres, enabling more marketers, including members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), to participate.
Dangote said that despite opposition from importers concerned about potential losses, the refinery was established primarily for the benefit of Nigerians. “Importers can continue to lose, so long as Nigerians benefit,” he said, highlighting that locally refined fuels are superior in quality compared with imported blended products.
On expansion plans, Dangote revealed that the refinery imports about 100 million barrels of crude annually from the United States, with plans to double this following ongoing expansion. He also sources crude from Ghana and other countries while exporting refined products such as jet fuel and gasoline to the U.S.
He further urged the government to ensure crude oil taxes are assessed based on actual transaction values, warning that under-declaration by trading arms of international oil companies puts domestic refiners at a competitive disadvantage.
“The refinery is for Nigerians first, and I am not giving up,” Dangote added, reiterating his commitment to making affordable, high-quality fuel accessible to Nigerians while promoting domestic refining.