Dangote Escalates Attack on NMDPRA Chief as Fuel Price War Intensifies

Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector has been thrown into turmoil as the battle between Aliko Dangote’s Group and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) deepens.

What began as a dispute over fuel pricing has now spiraled into accusations of corruption, economic sabotage, and personal vendettas.

Dangote, Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, has made good on his threat to release details of alleged foreign education expenses tied to Engr. Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive of NMDPRA.

In a statement, Dangote accused Ahmed of spending more than $5 million on the secondary school education of his four children in Switzerland, with additional tertiary costs of about $2 million.

He further alleged that in 2025 alone, Ahmed spent $210,000 on his son Faisal’s Harvard MBA program.

The children’s names and schools were listed: Faisal Farouk at Montreux School, Farouk Jr. at Aiglon College, Ashraf Farouk at Institut Le Rosey, and Farhana Farouk at La Garenne International School.

Dangote claimed these figures suggested mind blowing corruption within the regulatory authority.

NMDPRA swiftly dismissed the allegations as false, describing them as an orchestrated smear campaign designed to weaken the regulator’s credibility.

Yet the accusations have already had ripple effects in the market. Fuel stations, including Bovas in Abuja, slashed pump prices to ₦865 per liter, intensifying the price war and forcing importers and marketers to reconsider their strategies.

Market Fallout and Questions of Integrity

The clash has drawn in fuel importers and marketers, many of whom now face pressure to patronize Dangote’s petrol as he seeks to dominate the market.

Analysts warn that the conflict is not merely about pricing but about the integrity of regulatory oversight in Nigeria’s downstream sector.

Critics argue that if Dangote’s allegations are true, they expose potential conflicts of interest between NMDPRA officials and international traders.

Supporters of Ahmed, however, insist the claims are politically motivated, designed to discredit the regulator and tilt the market in Dangote’s favor.

Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, already plagued by inefficiencies and public distrust, now faces a credibility crisis.

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