The House of Representatives Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream and Midstream) has stepped in to douse rising tensions in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector following public allegations and counter-allegations involving the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The joint committee has summoned the leadership of both parties to appear before it, directing them to formally present their grievances and responses for urgent legislative resolution. It also ordered an immediate cessation of all media exchanges by the parties pending the conclusion of its investigation, which lawmakers say will be concluded within days.
The intervention was disclosed after an emergency meeting of the committees, jointly chaired by Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere and Hon. Henry Okogie, convened in response to what they described as a “growing tension” capable of undermining the fragile stability recently achieved in the downstream sector.
Speaking after the meeting, Ugochinyere said the committee was compelled to act swiftly to prevent escalation, particularly at a time when the government and industry stakeholders are working to stabilise fuel supply, pricing, and regulation in the post-subsidy era.
“The key issue that necessitated this emergency meeting was the growing tension that has returned to the downstream sector as a result of concerns and allegations raised by Alhaji Aliko Dangote against the NMDPRA,” he said.
“This is coming at a time when the committee is jealously guarding the stability that has been achieved in the sector.”
He explained that the committee resolved to formally invite Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, and the leadership of the NMDPRA to appear before it to provide detailed explanations on the issues driving the dispute, with the aim of reaching clear and lasting resolutions.
“We can only find sustainable solutions when we identify the critical issues leading to this tension. That is why the committee resolved to write to Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the NMDPRA chief to meet with us and give insights into what is driving these allegations and counter-allegations,” Ugochinyere said.
To calm the situation, the committee appealed to both parties to halt further public commentary while legislative intervention is ongoing.
“We resolved to plead with the contending parties to cease fire, especially media comments, so that the situation does not escalate further,” he noted, adding that the committee has the capacity to resolve the matter “once and for all.”
Ugochinyere further disclosed that the committee has already received petitions touching on key industry concerns, including the issuance of import licences and questions surrounding whether domestic refineries can meet Nigeria’s daily petroleum demand.
“These are serious issues. Some relate to import licences, others to whether local refineries can produce enough to satisfy national demand. The investigation undertaken by the committee will resolve these matters,” he said.
He assured Nigerians that once Dangote, the NMDPRA and other relevant stakeholders appear before the committee, lawmakers will obtain a clearer picture of the issues and arrive at resolutions that ensure regulatory clarity, industry stability and public confidence.
“By the time all parties meet with the committee, we will get the real gist of what is happening and come up with resolutions that provide sustainable solutions for the sector,” he said.
Reiterating the committee’s position, Ugochinyere stressed that the decision to intervene and summon the parties was unanimous and reflected the outcome of the committee’s closed-door deliberations.
The intervention follows heightened public scrutiny of the downstream petroleum industry after Aliko Dangote, during a media briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lekki, Lagos, accused the NMDPRA Chief Executive Officer, Farouk Ahmed, of corruption. Dangote alleged that Ahmed spent about $5 million on secondary school education for his children in Switzerland, an amount he said was inconsistent with the income of a public servant.
Dangote claimed the alleged expenditure covered six years of schooling for four children and questioned how such costs could be justified, insisting that Nigerians deserve transparency and accountability from regulatory officials.
As of the time of this report, the NMDPRA had yet to issue an official response to the allegations.
