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Nigeria’s House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to investigate a conflict between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) concerning the issuance of fuel-import permits and the setting of petrol pricing benchmarks. The decision follows claims by industrialist Aliko Dangote that the regulator’s actions have undermined local refiners, including his 650,000-barrel-per-day Lagos facility, the largest in Africa.
Lawmakers said the dispute risks disrupting fuel supply during the holiday period and could weaken investor confidence in Nigeria’s energy market. The conflict has intensified after Dangote accused NMDPRA chief Farouk Ahmed of allowing in cheaper imported fuel that undercuts domestic production, and of personal spending allegedly inconsistent with declared income. Dangote has called for a formal investigation into the regulator’s leadership, citing governance and transparency concerns.
The motion, introduced by House member Francis Waive, directs the parliament’s petroleum committees to resolve the disagreement and submit a report within four weeks. Lawmakers did not specify a timeline for hearings but said the committees would examine both licensing and pricing issues raised by the refinery and the regulator.
Lawmakers described the Dangote Refinery as a strategic national investment and said it could reduce reliance on imported petrol and support price stability. They warned that unresolved disputes with the country’s most significant private-sector refinery could lead to short-term supply pressures, further price volatility, and policy uncertainty across the downstream sector.
The inquiry underscores growing tension between Nigeria’s ambition to achieve self-sufficiency in refined products and persistent governance challenges in its regulatory institutions, The dispute highlights tensions between Nigeria’s push for refined-fuel self-sufficiency and ongoing regulatory challenges, an issue investors continue to monitor.
