House-of-Reps.webp
The Digest:

Amidst escalating allegations that threaten to destabilise Nigeria's critical petroleum sector, lawmakers are stepping in to mediate. The House of Representatives Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources has invited the Dangote Refinery and the NMDPRA to address their public dispute, which includes Aliko Dangote's $5 million Swiss school fees allegation against regulator Farouk Ahmed.

Key Points:
  • The House of Representatives Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources has summoned Dangote Refinery and the NMDPRA over their ongoing feud.
  • Committee Chairman Ikenga Ugochinyere warned that the tensions threaten the "hard-won stability" in Nigeria's downstream petroleum sector.
  • The summons is a direct response to allegations raised by Aliko Dangote against NMDPRA CEO Farouk Ahmed, including the $5m tuition claim.
  • Ugochinyere stated the committee must act swiftly to safeguard the sector's stability in the post-subsidy era.
  • Petitions before the committee also touch on import licence issuance and domestic refining capacity.
  • The committee plans a thorough examination of all issues when both parties appear before it.
  • Public reaction on social media is sceptical, with many doubting the inquiry will yield concrete results.
This parliamentary intervention underscores how corporate-regulator conflicts can quickly become a matter of national economic security.

Sources: Nigerian News Agency (NAN) / Social Media