Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), is at the center of a $5 million bribery scandal, with allegations surfacing on May 28, 2025, that he fled Nigeria under the guise of performing Hajj to evade investigation.
The accusations, raised by a whistleblower group, Transparency Watch, claim Ahmed accepted $5 million from oil marketers to facilitate import licenses for substandard petroleum products between January and April 2025. The group alleged he left for Saudi Arabia on May 25, days after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited him for questioning, suggesting an attempt to dodge scrutiny.
Ahmed, via a statement from NMDPRA’s legal team on May 31, denied the allegations, asserting he was on a scheduled Hajj pilgrimage, approved by President Bola Tinubu, and had not been formally summoned by the EFCC. He returned to Nigeria on June 1, presenting himself at the agency’s Abuja office to counter claims of absconding.
The EFCC confirmed an ongoing probe into NMDPRA’s licensing processes but clarified no arrest warrant was issued. Documents leaked on social media, purportedly showing bank transfers to Ahmed’s associates, remain unverified, prompting calls for a transparent investigation. The scandal has reignited concerns about corruption in Nigeria’s oil sector, with 2024 seeing 20% of imported fuel fail quality tests.
Public outrage, amplified by fuel price hikes to ₦1,200 per liter, has pressured the Tinubu administration to act. Ahmed’s defenders argue he’s being targeted for enforcing stricter regulations, while critics demand his suspension pending the probe’s outcome, highlighting Nigeria’s struggle with systemic graft.