*Insists the agency is frustrating local refineries
President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has launched a fresh offensive against the regulator, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), insisting the leadership of the authority is sabotaging efforts at boosting local refining.
At a press conference on Sunday, at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, he said imports were being used to checkmate domestic potential, creating jobs abroad while Nigerians struggle to industrialize.
“You don’t use imports to checkmate domestic potentials”, he said.
Dangote then accused the leadership of the NMDPRA of frustrating local refining through the continued issuance of petroleum product import licences, “despite growing domestic refining capacity”.
According to Dangote, the regulator’s actions have sustained Nigeria’s dependence on fuel imports and discouraged investment in local refining.
Dangote doubled down on his criticism of the regulator, calling for the investigation of the Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Engr Farouk Ahmed.
He claimed that import licences covering about 7.5 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) had reportedly been issued for the first quarter of 2026, even as local refiners struggle to operate profitably.
Dangote also alleged that Engr. Ahmed was living beyond his legitimate means, citing claims that four of his children attend secondary schools in Switzerland at a cost of several million dollars.
He said the allegations raise serious concerns about conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory oversight in the downstream petroleum sector.
“I am not calling for his removal, but for a proper investigation,” Dangote said, adding, “He should be required to account for his actions and demonstrate that he has not compromised his position to the detriment of Nigerians.”
