By Sochima Agbo 

The simmering tension over petrol pricing has taken a sharper turn following fresh allegations by President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, against the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.

Dangote on Sunday alleged that Ahmed spent about $5m on the secondary school education of his four children in Switzerland and called for a thorough investigation and public explanation. He insisted that the NMDPRA boss should appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal to account for how such funds were raised, describing the allegation as a matter of public interest and accusing Ahmed of economic sabotage.

The billionaire businessman made the remarks during a press briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, where he spoke at length about what he described as regulatory failures and alleged corruption in the downstream petroleum sector.

Dangote said the allegation had been brought to his attention and warned that failing to address it could further erode public trust and investor confidence. He questioned how a public official could afford such an amount on school fees, noting that the figure was difficult to reconcile with earnings from public service and would ordinarily attract scrutiny from tax authorities.

He also expressed concern about the contrast between the alleged expenditure and the financial hardship faced by many Nigerians, particularly families struggling to afford modest school fees. Dangote added that his own children attended secondary school in Nigeria, not abroad.

While stressing that he was not calling for Ahmed’s removal, Dangote said a proper investigation was necessary to determine whether the NMDPRA boss had compromised his office. He stated that the Code of Conduct Bureau or any other relevant agency should probe the matter, adding that if the allegation was denied, he was prepared to publish details of the alleged tuition payments and pursue legal steps to compel disclosure by the schools involved.

Dangote further criticised the state of the downstream petroleum sector, alleging that entrenched interests continue to benefit from fuel imports at the expense of local refining and national development. He warned against allowing commercial players to influence regulation, arguing that such practices undermine the integrity of the sector.

According to him, despite the issuance of dozens of licences, no significant new refineries are being built because the operating environment remains unfavourable. He maintained that Nigerians would ultimately benefit from domestic refining, even as fuel importers incur losses, and pledged that his company would continue working to ensure that reductions in gantry prices are reflected at retail outlets.

In response to enquiries, NMDPRA spokesman, George Ene-Ita, declined to comment on the allegations.