Farouk Ahmed has resigned from his position as Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) following a storm of corruption allegations levelled against him by billionaire industrialist and Dangote Group Chairman, Aliko Dangote.
The resignation was confirmed on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, who also announced the exit of Gbenga Komolafe as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
According to Onanuga, President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the names of new nominees to the Senate for confirmation to fill both positions. The president urged lawmakers to fast-track the screening process.
The nominees are Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, proposed as Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC, and Saidu Mohammed, nominated to head the NMDPRA.
“The two nominees are seasoned professionals with extensive experience in the oil and gas industry,” the statement said.
Ahmed’s resignation came just hours after he paid a visit to President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja. The former regulator, dressed in traditional attire, reportedly spent less than 30 minutes inside the presidential villa before departing without addressing journalists.
“It’s already late for an interview. Work has closed,” Ahmed said briefly when approached by reporters.
The visit followed an escalating public dispute between Ahmed and Dangote, which culminated in a formal petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
In the petition, submitted through his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, Dangote accused Ahmed of corruption and financial impropriety, urging the anti-graft agency to arrest, investigate, and prosecute him.
Africa’s richest man alleged that Ahmed was living far beyond his legitimate earnings, claiming that four of his children attended elite secondary schools in Switzerland at costs running into millions of dollars. Dangote alleged that about $5 million was spent on secondary education and living expenses over six years, with an additional $2 million allegedly spent on tertiary education abroad.
The petition further cited an alleged $210,000 payment for a 2025 Harvard MBA programme for one of Ahmed’s children and listed the names of the schools attended.
Dangote urged the ICPC to act decisively in the interest of accountability and public confidence.
“We believe that, as this matter is already in the public domain, the Commission will act decisively to ensure justice is done and to protect the integrity of the Tinubu administration,” part of the petition read.
The ICPC later confirmed receipt of the petition and assured the public that it would investigate the allegations.
“The petition against the CEO of the NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed, has been received and will be duly investigated,” the commission said.
Beyond the corruption claims, Dangote had earlier accused the NMDPRA under Ahmed’s leadership of economic sabotage, alleging that certain regulatory decisions were undermining Nigeria’s local refining capacity.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery on Sunday, the industrialist claimed that the continued issuance of petroleum product import licences was discouraging domestic refiners and sustaining Nigeria’s dependence on imports. He further alleged collusion between regulators and foreign traders to the detriment of local operators.
Ahmed had previously dismissed Dangote’s allegations, describing them in a brief statement as “wild and spurious.”
