He traced his career in Nigeria’s petroleum sector to 1991, insisting that his rise through the system was driven by merit rather than political patronage.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, has pushed back against allegations concerning the funding of his children’s education and questions raised about his integrity in office, describing the claims as misleading and taken out of context.
In a statement, Ahmed said the allegations “necessitated this response, not because I fear scrutiny of my finances, which I welcome, but because the timing and nature of these claims demand context that only three decades of public service can provide.”
He traced his career in Nigeria’s petroleum sector to 1991, insisting that his rise through the system was driven by merit rather than political patronage.
According to him, his professional experience spans technical operations, crude oil marketing, gas supply monitoring and downstream activities, adding that his actions and decisions in office have consistently been guided by what he described as Nigeria’s national interest.
“I spent my formative years in the technical divisions, where decisions are measured not by political expediency but by engineering precision and market realities,” he said.
He further outlined his rise to General Manager of the Crude Oil Marketing Division in 2012 and later Deputy Director in 2015, before being appointed NMDPRA Chief Executive in 2021.
On assuming the role, he said, he understood the challenges of implementing reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act, acknowledging that enforcing transparency in a sector long characterised by opacity would inevitably meet resistance.
Addressing the allegations about his children’s education, Ahmed said the claim that he spent $5 million on their Swiss schooling was misleading.
“Three of my four children received substantial merit-based scholarships ranging from 40% to 65% of tuition costs, verifiable information is available to any authorised investigation,” he said, adding that contributions from his late father, a Northern Nigerian businessman, further supported the education costs.
He added, “When scholarships, family contributions, and my own savings accumulated over three decades are properly accounted for, my personal financial obligation was entirely consistent with someone of my professional standing and length of service.”
Ahmed confirmed that his annual compensation of approximately N48 million, including allowances, is publicly documented, and that he has submitted detailed asset declarations to the Code of Conduct Bureau throughout his career.
The CEO also linked the timing of the allegations to recent regulatory actions taken by NMDPRA.
“These allegations resurface precisely when NMDPRA has enforced quality standards revealing substandard petroleum products in the market, implemented stricter licensing requirements, and insisted on transparent pricing mechanisms that eliminate opacity benefiting certain market players. This timing is not coincidental,” Ahmed said.
He defended the authority’s import licensing decisions, emphasizing that they comply with Section 7 of the Petroleum Industry Act, which mandates supply security and prevention of scarcity.
“Granting import licenses when domestic supply proves insufficient is not sabotage, it is our legal duty,” he said.
Ahmed invited formal investigations into his finances and tenure, stating: “I formally and publicly request the Code of Conduct Bureau to conduct comprehensive review of all my asset declarations since 1991, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to examine all my financial transactions and sources of income, and the National Assembly to exercise its oversight function regarding any allegations of regulatory compromise during my tenure. I will cooperate fully, provide all documentation, and answer all questions under oath if required.”
Concluding, Ahmed reaffirmed his commitment to regulatory independence and transparency.
“Three decades of service to Nigeria’s petroleum sector have taught me that integrity is tested not in comfortable moments but when powerful interests demand compromise. My response is simple: investigate thoroughly, examine every claim, scrutinize every transaction. My record both financial and professional will withstand any legitimate inquiry.”
Dangote’s Allegations Against Farouk Ahmed
Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Group, had petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged corruption, abuse of office and illicit enrichment by the NMDPRA boss.
In the petition dated December 16 and addressed to the ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), the billionaire businessman demanded the arrest, investigation and prosecution of Ahmed.
He accused Ahmed of living far beyond his legitimate earnings as a public servant, alleging that the NMDPRA chief spent more than $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland, with school fees reportedly paid upfront for six years.
According to Dangote, such expenditure could not be justified by the cumulative earnings of a career public officer.
He provided the names of the children, the schools they attended and the specific amounts paid for each, urging the ICPC to verify the claims as what he described as “clear evidence of corrupt enrichment.”
Dangote further alleged that Ahmed abused his office by diverting public funds for personal use, accusing him of turning the regulatory authority into a tool for embezzlement and the advancement of private interests at the expense of Nigerians.
“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement constitute gross acts of corruption,” Dangote said in the petition.
He urged the ICPC to act under Section 19 of the ICPC Act, which prescribes a five-year jail term without an option of fine for such offences.
Dangote also said he was ready to personally appear before investigators to present documentary and other evidence to substantiate his allegations.
The claims were first made public by Dangote during a media interaction at the Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, on Sunday, where he questioned Ahmed’s source of wealth and accused the regulator of frustrating local refining through the continued issuance of fuel import licences.
“Nigerians deserve to know the source of these sums of money paid by a public officer while many parents in his home state of Sokoto cannot afford N10,000 school fees for their children,” Dangote said.