Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to investigate a dispute between the country’s downstream petroleum regulator and the Dangote Refinery over allegations of arbitrary fuel import licences and petrol pricing benchmarks, amid corruption claims against the regulator’s leadership.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has intensified his standoff with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), accusing the agency of permitting cut-price fuel imports that undercut domestic refiners, including his 650,000-barrel-per-day Lagos refinery, the largest in Africa.
Dangote has called for a formal probe into the conduct of NMDPRA chief Farouk Ahmed, raising governance concerns and alleging personal expenditure inconsistent with his declared income.
Lawmakers warned that the dispute could trigger fuel supply disruptions during the holiday period and cautioned that regulatory uncertainty poses risks to Nigeria’s energy security and investor confidence.
A motion introduced by House member Francis Waive mandates the House Committees on Petroleum to intervene in the matter, resolve the dispute, and submit a report within four weeks.
Members of parliament described the Dangote Refinery as a “strategic national investment” capable of reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel, generating foreign exchange, and stabilising domestic fuel prices.
They cautioned that ongoing tensions between the regulator and the country’s largest local refinery could lead to supply disruptions, price volatility, and policy inconsistency.
The House did not immediately announce dates for public hearings into the matter.
