The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, has rejected allegations linking the funding of his children’s foreign education to corruption, describing the claims as misleading, ill-timed, and motivated by vested commercial interests.
In a detailed statement released on Tuesday, Ahmed said he welcomes scrutiny of his finances and has formally invited the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the National Assembly to conduct comprehensive investigations into his assets, income, and regulatory decisions spanning over three decades of public service.
Background of Allegations
Recent claims circulating on social media alleged that Ahmed spent up to $5 million on his children’s secondary education in Switzerland, an amount critics argued was inconsistent with his official earnings as a public servant.
Responding to the allegation, Ahmed said the figure was “factually incorrect” and failed to account for merit-based scholarships, family education trust funds, and personal savings accumulated over 30 years in the Nigerian petroleum sector.
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According to him, three of his four children received scholarships covering between 40 and 65 per cent of tuition costs, while additional funding came from education trusts established by his late father before his death in 2018.
“My annual compensation as NMDPRA CEO, approximately ₦48 million including allowances, is publicly available in audited reports,” Ahmed stated.
“When combined with decades of legitimate savings, cooperative investments available to civil servants, and family contributions, the expenses are fully explainable.”
Asset Declarations and Transparency
Ahmed said he has consistently filed asset declarations with the Code of Conduct Bureau since joining public service in 1991 and has authorized educational institutions attended by his children to release financial records to Nigerian investigators.
He added that foreign educational institutions do not accept illegitimate funds, noting that “schools abroad operate under strict financial compliance regimes.”
Allegations Linked to Regulatory Actions
The NMDPRA chief suggested that the timing of the allegations coincides with recent regulatory actions by the Authority, including:
- Enforcement of stricter fuel quality standards
- Introduction of transparent licensing and pricing frameworks
- Approval of fuel import licenses to prevent supply shortages
Ahmed defended the import licensing decisions, citing Section 7 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which mandates the regulator to ensure energy security and prevent fuel scarcity.
“Granting import licenses when domestic supply is insufficient is not economic sabotage; it is a statutory obligation,” he said, warning against reliance on a single-source supply model.
Call for Investigation
Ahmed formally called for:
- A full review of his asset declarations by the CCB
- Examination of his financial transactions by the EFCC
- Oversight hearings by the National Assembly
He pledged full cooperation and said he would testify under oath if required.
“The Price of Regulatory Independence”
Reflecting on his career, Ahmed said his rise from a junior engineer at the former Department of Petroleum Resources to CEO of NMDPRA was based on merit and technical competence, not political patronage.
He acknowledged that reforms introduced under his leadership, aimed at reducing opacity, preferential treatment, and regulatory capture, have created resistance among entrenched interests.
“If the price of regulatory independence is personal attacks and manufactured scandals, I accept that price,” he said.
Ahmed concluded by reaffirming his commitment to implementing the Petroleum Industry Act transparently and without favoritism, expressing confidence that “principled regulation will ultimately be vindicated.”
