December 18, 2025 — Dalena Reporters
The oil and gas industry in Nigeria was thrown into upheaval on Thursday after the chief executives of the two main petroleum regulatory agencies resigned, including Engr. Farouk Ahmed, head of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), amid mounting controversy sparked by business magnate Aliko Dangote.
Engr. Farouk Ahmed and Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive Officers of the NMDPRA and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) respectively, both resigned from their posts a move that immediately sparked uncertainty across Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
The pair were originally appointed to their positions in September 2021 by then-President Muhammadu Buhari after the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). They continued to serve under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who also serves as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources, until their departures this week.
Dangote’s Bombshell Allegations
The resignations follow an extraordinary public attack by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest industrialist, who accused Ahmed and the NMDPRA of actions he says undermine Nigeria’s local refining capacity. Dangote claimed that the regulator’s policies particularly the continued issuance of import licences for petroleum products have frustrated efforts to prioritise domestic refining, weakening energy sovereignty and reinforcing dependence on imported fuel.
Dangote also alleged potential economic sabotage and corruption at the NMDPRA, including claims that Ahmed was living beyond his means, notably highlighting the cost of his children’s education overseas. In response, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) confirmed it has received a petition from Dangote calling for an investigation into the regulator’s conduct.
Farouk has denied the allegations, dismissing them as “wild and spurious,” and the regulator’s office has distanced itself from statements circulating in the media while indicating it will cooperate with any formal probes by relevant agencies.
On the day of his resignation, Ahmed was reported to have visited the Presidential Villa in Abuja, meeting with President Tinubu — though neither the meeting nor its agenda was publicly disclosed by government officials.
In the wake of the departures, President Tinubu has already sent new nominations to the Senate for confirmation to lead both the NMDPRA and NUPRC. The proposed candidates — Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan for the NUPRC and Engr. Saidu Mohammed for the NMDPRA — were described by the Presidency as “seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.
The upheaval comes at a sensitive time for Nigeria’s energy sector, as the country grapples with the challenge of maximising the value of its huge hydrocarbon resources and reducing reliance on imported refined products despite infrastructure like the Dangote Refinery, one of the largest in Africa.
Policy experts and industry observers say the episode underscores tensions between private sector ambitions and government regulatory frameworks and raises questions about how best to align Nigeria’s energy strategy with both economic and national security goals.