Petrol War Fallout: NMDPRA, NUPRC Bosses Resign as Dangote’s Petition Rocks Sector

By: Abudu Olalekan

The ground don shake. Seriously. You think say na small thing? The Nigerian petroleum sector is in shambles today. And e get as e be say war start for Lekki.

On Wednesday, everything just blow up. The Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, pack his load. Gbenga Komolafe of NUPRC? Him too. Just like that. Two big men resign. Why? Na Aliko Dangote happen. The Dangote refinery wahala don reach peak.

Tinubu government no waste time o. The Presidency announce am quick quick. Why? Because the petition Dangote write land for ICPC heavy pass mountain. He accuse Ahmed of economic sabotage. But e get another part wey shock everybody. Dangote say the NMDPRA boss get questions to answer. How him fit pay $5 million for him pikin school fees for Switzerland? Na wa o.

You know how Aliko be. He no dey play. Last Sunday, he just launch attack. Direct one. Questioning the source of wealth. By Tuesday, letter don land for ICPC. Demand full investigation. Ahmed get summons go Villa. And before you know am, resignation letter don drop. Komolafe? Nobody really talk him bad, but the Presidency just decide say make everybody go. Clean sweep.

Bayi Onanuga confirm the news. He say Tinubu don send new names go Senate. Make dem confirm am fast fast. Who be the new faces? Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan go take NUPRC. And Engr Saidu Aliyu Mohammed go take NMDPRA. Onanuga talk say dem be professionals. Eyesan work for NNPC pass 30 years. Saidu na Chemical Engineer from ABU. But abeg, who get mind for that now? The tension too much.

Marketers dey fear

Omo, marketers dey jittery. I talk to one major marketer. Him no wan hear name for news o. He tell me say the matter bad.

“The NMDPRA boss dem invite am Villa this morning. I believe na there them ask am to resign,” he tell me. “Look, we no support corruption. But the accusation against Farouk? Na school fees. Na him pikin. Is that against the law to issue licence? Dangote fit hold am against am? This matter cause tension. Dealers go fear. Especially when dem dey deal with Dangote.”

See the real wahala. Since Dangote crash price to N699, 90% of marketers don disappear. “We only supply our own stations,” the man cry. “We get two vessels coming. We don pay for the product. How we go sell am make profit? Dangote dey sell at loss just to kill us. Na the worst competition. When you hear say dem resign, why you no go fear? Of course, we fear.”

How the war start

You think say the fight start today? No o. The Dangote-NMDPRA row don dey long time. Since 2024. Dangote deputy, Devakumar Edwin, accuse NMDPRA. He say dem dey issue licence for marketers to import ‘dirty’ fuel. Force Dangote to export diesel go Europe.

Ahmed no keep quiet. He clap back. He say Dangote fuel no good. High sulphur. “We no fit rely on one refinery,” he talk. He say imported diesel get 50ppm. Dangote get 1200ppm. That comment cause wahala. Everybody call for him removal.

Last week, NMDPRA release report. Dem say dem import 1.5 billion litres for November. Why? Shortage. Dangote angry. He say him tanks full. Ahmed just dey issue reckless licences. “7.5 billion litres for 2026?” Dangote ask. “We don guarantee supply o!”

Then the bomb drop. The $5m school fees. Dangote call for Code of Conduct Tribunal. Ahmed confident say ICPC go clear am. But oops. E don go.

Komolafe and the Crude Oil Wahala

Komolafe? Why him follow fall? E no direct involve for price war. But the Dangote refinery get bone to pick with NUPRC too. Over crude oil. Devakumar Edwin accuse IOCs. He say dem dey frustrate Dangote. Make dem sell crude expensive. Force Dangote import from US.

NUPRC no do am well. Federal Government order NNPC sell crude to Dangote for Naira. That one help. Price drop. But Dangote still talk say he dey import from US and Ghana. Komolafe just follow pay the price. Collateral damage.

Billy Gillis-Harry of PETROAN talk. He say dem ready to work with the new people. “Leadership remains,” he talk. “We expect better service.” But he no wan hear banter.

Experts talk

The experts? Dem say the rot deep. Jeremiah Olatide of Petroleumprice.ng talk say the resignation reaffirm am. “There is rot,” he talk. Rasheed Osagie, the lawyer, talk say e inevitable. “When the biggest investor complain, na only one outcome,” he talk.

Wumi Iledare, the professor, call am “moment of truth.” He warn say regulatory independence dey danger. Civil society leaders Auwal Rafsanjani and Debo Adeniran shout. Dem say resignation no enough. Make dem investigate well well.

So, the old people don go. New people don come. But the sector? E still tense. Operators dey watch. They wan see if this shakeup go bring confidence or e go just make the fear worse. Because this petrol war? E no look like say e go end soon. Na real wahala.