...some described the resignations as validation of Dangote’s claims
ABUJA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Dangote Group President, Aliko Dangote’s allegations and petition sparked fresh uncertainty in the petroleum sector on Wednesday following the resignation of the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, and the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe.
The Presidency confirmed the resignations, a move widely interpreted as fallout from the deepening dispute between the Dangote Refinery and the NMDPRA over fuel importation, pricing and regulatory oversight in the downstream segment.
The shake-up followed public accusations by Dangote, who alleged economic sabotage by Ahmed and petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe claims of unexplained wealth, including allegations that the regulator spent about $5m on the secondary education of his four children in Switzerland.
Dangote had, on Sunday, openly questioned the source of Ahmed’s wealth, before escalating the matter on Tuesday with a formal petition to the ICPC demanding a comprehensive investigation.
Sources said Ahmed was invited to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, after which his resignation was announced. Although Komolafe was not directly involved in the immediate dispute, insiders said the Presidency opted for a simultaneous leadership change at both regulatory agencies.
Confirming the development, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the resignations and disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had forwarded the names of new nominees to the Senate for confirmation.
According to Onanuga, Tinubu requested the expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive of the NUPRC and Engr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, describing both nominees as seasoned oil and gas professionals.
Eyesan, a University of Benin economics graduate, spent nearly 33 years with the NNPC and its subsidiaries, retiring as Executive Vice President, Upstream, after previously serving as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy.
Mohammed, a chemical engineering graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, previously served as Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, and has chaired several energy-sector boards.
The resignations have heightened anxiety across the downstream sector, with marketers warning that the uncertainty could worsen business failures, especially in the wake of aggressive price cuts by the Dangote refinery.
A major marketer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ahmed was invited to the Presidential Villa on Wednesday morning and was likely asked to step down during the meeting.
While condemning corruption, the marketer argued that issuing fuel import licences was not illegal and warned that the unfolding crisis had unsettled operators and strained confidence in regulatory stability.
He added that Dangote’s decision to crash petrol gantry prices to N699 per litre had already driven many marketers out of business, making competition unsustainable and intensifying fears across the sector.
The clash between Dangote and the outgoing NMDPRA leadership dates back to 2024, shortly after the $20bn Lekki refinery commenced fuel production.
Dangote’s vice president, Devakumar Edwin, accused the regulator of indiscriminately issuing licences for the importation of substandard fuel, forcing the refinery to export diesel and aviation fuel.
Ahmed’s response, in which he alleged that Dangote-produced fuel had higher sulphur content than imports, sparked public outrage and intensified calls for his removal.
In a recent report, the NMDPRA defended its decision to issue import licences, citing supply shortfalls in September and October. Data showed that marketers imported at least 1.5 billion litres of petrol in November, even as Dangote supplied 19.5 million litres per day.
Dangote reacted angrily, accusing the regulator of sabotaging the economy through what he described as reckless licensing despite full refinery storage tanks.
He further alleged that the NMDPRA planned to approve import licences totaling 7.5 billion litres in early 2026, despite assurances that local supply was sufficient.
The dispute escalated after Dangote accused Ahmed of spending $5m on his children’s education abroad and called for a probe by anti-corruption agencies. Ahmed did not publicly respond but was said to be confident of being cleared before resigning.
Although Komolafe was not directly linked to the price war, his resignation is connected to longstanding tensions between the Dangote refinery and the NUPRC over enforcement of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation.
Those tensions eased after the Federal Government introduced a naira-for-crude policy in October 2024, boosting local supply and driving fuel price reductions.
Reacting to the resignations, the President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, said the group would support the new leadership, expressing hope for improved service delivery.
Industry experts said the development exposed deep-seated structural weaknesses in the sector. While some described the resignations as validation of Dangote’s claims, others warned that regulatory independence and stability under the Petroleum Industry Act were now under scrutiny.
As new leadership prepares to assume office, uncertainty persists across the petroleum industry, with stakeholders watching closely to see whether the shake-up will restore confidence or further destabilise a sector already strained by an intense petrol price war.
