President has moved to calm rising tensions in Nigeria’s oil sector, following a bitter public dispute between Africa’s richest man, , and the (NMDPRA).
The intervention came as the Chief Executives of both NMDPRA and the (NUPRC) resigned amid intense public scrutiny.
In swift response, Tinubu forwarded new nominations to the Senate, proposing Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan to lead the NUPRC and Saidu Mohammed to head the NMDPRA.
The President urged lawmakers to fast-track confirmation, signalling urgency to stabilise regulatory leadership at a time when confidence in petroleum governance is under strain.
The crisis was triggered by Dangote’s accusations that NMDPRA’s regulatory actions were sabotaging local refining, particularly his $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
He alleged that continued issuance of fuel import licences undermines domestic capacity and entrenches import dependence—claims the regulator has not publicly addressed.
Dangote escalated the confrontation with personal corruption allegations against outgoing NMDPRA chief Farouk Ahmed, including claims of unexplained multimillion-dollar spending on his children’s education abroad.
Through his lawyer, Dangote petitioned the ICPC, calling for investigation and prosecution, as Ahmed exited office without commenting on the accusations after a brief meeting with the President.
Legal and energy experts say the episode goes beyond personalities, exposing deep policy contradictions in Nigeria’s oil governance.
While opinions differ on whether the resignations were linked to Dangote’s claims, analysts insist that leadership changes must not replace accountability, as attention now shifts to Senate confirmation hearings and the credibility of the new regulatory team.