Some oil and gas marketers have called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in the ongoing trade dispute in the downstream petroleum sector to prevent further complications, particularly in the international market.
The marketers spoke out in response to the ongoing conflict between Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Dangote, on Sunday, accused Ahmed of economic sabotage, claiming his actions were undermining domestic refining in Nigeria.
Dangote alleged that the NMDPRA leadership had colluded with international traders and petroleum importers to frustrate local refining by continuing to issue import licences for petroleum products.
He also claimed that Ahmed was living beyond his legitimate means, noting that four of his children attend secondary schools in Switzerland at costs running into several millions of dollars.
Dangote argued that such expenditures raised serious questions regarding potential conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory oversight in the downstream petroleum sector. On Monday, he further accused Ahmed of corruption and misappropriation of public funds, providing detailed figures concerning his children’s education abroad.
Speaking with NAN, Alhaji Maigandi Garima, National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), urged the Federal Government to intervene promptly.
Garima described the dispute as unnecessary for the industry, warning that it could undermine confidence being built in the sector internationally. He called on the government to facilitate a dialogue between the parties to resolve the matter.
“Such crisis is not good in the industry, and can go a long way to cause a lot of damages, especially on the global market. So quick intervention is what we call for to prevent escalation,” he said.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) also condemned the situation and called for urgent presidential intervention.
Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, PETROAN National President, expressed concern that the dispute could discourage foreign investors and erode confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory institutions.
He noted that during PETROAN’s emergency ordinary national general meeting on Monday, the association passed a vote of confidence in the NMDPRA under Ahmed’s leadership.
According to Gillis-Harry, the decision reflected recognition of the innovative reforms, strategic governance, and regulatory clarity introduced by the NMDPRA in the downstream petroleum sector.
He added that these reforms had improved operational efficiency, transparency, and healthy competition within the industry, while creating a more stable and competitive downstream environment for the benefit of consumers and the national economy.
