Following the resignation of Farouk Ahmed as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), on the heels of the $5m school fees scandal raised against him by the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, the Senate has confirmed the appointment of Saidu Mohammed as the new Chief Executive Officer.
The Senate also approved the appointment of Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), succeeding the resignation of its former boss, Gbenga Komolafe.
The confirmations followed the consideration and adoption of a report by a joint committee of the Senate, chaired by Senator Abdulrahman Kawu.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga had earlier disclosed that Gbenga Komolafe stepped down as Chief Executive of the NUPRC.
Following the resignations, President Bola Tinubu wrote to the Senate requesting the expedited confirmation of Eyesan and Mohammed to head the two petroleum regulatory agencies. The Presidency described the nominees as seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.
The controversy surrounding the former NMDPRA chief intensified after Dangote petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, accusing Ahmed of corruption and financial impropriety. The petition, submitted through his lawyer Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, SAN, urged the anti-graft agency to arrest, investigate and prosecute Ahmed.
Dangote alleged that Ahmed lived beyond his means, claiming that four of his children attended secondary schools in Switzerland at a cost running into several millions of dollars. He alleged that about five million dollars was spent on their secondary education and upkeep over six years, in addition to about two million dollars on tertiary education. This included an alleged 210000 dollars spent in 2025 for a Harvard MBA programme for one of the children.
In the petition, Dangote listed the names of the children and the schools they attended and asked the commission to prosecute Ahmed in accordance with the law.
“We have no reservation that, being a matter that is in the public domain, the Commission will not close its eyes to it but act decisively to ensure that justice is done and the good image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is protected,” part of the petition read.
The ICPC confirmed receipt of the petition and said it would be duly investigated.
The dispute escalated further on Sunday when Dangote accused the NMDPRA leadership under Ahmed of economic sabotage. Speaking at a press conference at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos, he alleged that the continued issuance of import licences for petroleum products was undermining local refining capacity and sustaining Nigeria’s dependence on imports.
He also accused the regulator of colluding with international traders and oil importers to the disadvantage of domestic refiners. Ahmed, however, dismissed the allegations in a brief statement, describing them as unfounded.
“While I am aware of the wild and spurious allegations made against me and my family and the frenzy it has generated, as a regulator of a sensitive industry, I have opted not to engage in public brickbat,” he said.
