- NMDPRA CEO Farouk Ahmed dismissed sabotage allegations against Dangote, asserting that the agency supports him with over 10 workers assisting continuously
- Ahmed highlighted that Dangote’s oil quality does not meet standards, citing high sulfur content, but confirmed sales would continue despite this
Efforts to get an official reaction from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) regarding allegations of sabotage against Dangote proved abortive. However, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, NMDPRA Chief Executive Officer Farouk Ahmed addressed the issue.
On Allegations of Sabotage: Ahmed dismissed claims of sabotage against Dangote, stating, “Dangote himself said that we are helping him. We have more than 10 workers who work 24/7 to make sure everything goes as planned, and he personally came to say thank you. So saying that we are undermining or sabotaging him is incorrect. People don’t want to be guided by laws; maybe they want to be allowed to do as they please.”
He further explained, “What he’s trying to do is to monopolize the oil import market by being the sole supplier, forcing everyone to buy from him. But the market doesn’t operate that way. Imagine you’re at the market buying yams; if one seller is charging N30,000 for a basket and another is charging N20,000, you can choose which one to buy from. The market operates on competition and choice, so there’s no need to restrict it.”
On the Quality of Product: Ahmed stated that they had documents showing that Dangote’s oil does not meet the same standards as imported oil. He added, “Despite this, we didn’t halt the sale of Dangote’s oil because it’s not extremely harmful. Nevertheless, the refinery’s oil has a high sulfur content of 650 ppm, whereas imported oil typically has a much lower content of under 50 ppm. The lower the sulfur content, the better the oil quality.”
He noted that ECOWAS member countries allow the use of oil with lower quality standards, so they permitted its use. He emphasized that this decision was about quality, not undermining the refinery.
On Claims of Lack of Support: Ahmed refuted claims that Dangote was not given the needed support to succeed. He reiterated his cooperation with Dangote, citing their shared heritage and faith, but emphasized that their priority is protecting the people. “We wholeheartedly support Aliko Dangote and are proud of his accomplishment. As fellow Nigerians, northerners, and Muslims, we have a shared identity and values. Out of fear of God and our shared heritage, we would never sabotage his efforts. However, our primary concern is protecting public health and upholding the rights of the people. We believe in fair competition, where individuals can choose where they shop. Forcing people to buy from one specific vendor is unjust. Everyone should be able to make their own choices, and monopolizing the market is wrong,” he added.