ICPC Stands Firm As Dangote Withdraws Petition Against Former NMDPRA Boss

According to Ireporter Online, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to continue investigating the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, despite the withdrawal of a petition filed by billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote.

The commission confirmed that it received a formal notice dated January 5, 2026, from the legal firm of Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN & Associates, acting on behalf of Dangote, indicating the withdrawal of the petition initially submitted on December 16, 2025. The letter reportedly stated that the petition was withdrawn in its entirety, noting that another law enforcement agency had assumed responsibility for the matter.

However, the ICPC emphasized that the decision to withdraw the petition would not stop its ongoing investigation. In an official statement, the commission explained that investigations had already commenced in accordance with Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling Act, stressing that such probes are conducted in the interest of the Nigerian state and its citizens.

The anti-graft agency stated that it remains duty-bound to proceed with the investigation in line with its statutory mandate, underscoring its commitment to transparency, accountability and the broader fight against corruption.

The petition stemmed from a high-profile disagreement in late 2025 between Dangote and Ahmed during the latter’s tenure as head of the NMDPRA. The dispute followed a series of confrontations between Dangote’s refinery and petroleum regulators over issues related to importation policies, pricing structures and alleged market dominance.

Dangote had accused Ahmed of corrupt enrichment, alleging that the former regulator spent over five million dollars on school fees for his children at elite institutions in Switzerland, expenses he claimed were incompatible with the lawful earnings of a public servant.

The allegations quickly escalated into a major public controversy, culminating in Ahmed’s resignation in December 2025, alongside the then head of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. In the aftermath, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved new nominations to fill the leadership position at the NMDPRA.

Dangote’s original petition had urged the ICPC to arrest, investigate and prosecute Ahmed over allegations of abuse of office, corruption and living beyond his means.