…._Protests to Hold in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt_
A coalition of concerned citizens, civil society organisations and advocacy groups has announced plans to stage nationwide peaceful protests on Wednesday, December 17, demanding the immediate suspension and investigation of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, over allegations of corruption and deliberate actions undermining Nigeria’s local refining capacity.
The rallies, scheduled to hold simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt, will take place at the National Assembly and NMDPRA offices, with organisers calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to act swiftly in line with his administration’s stated zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
The protest is themed “End the Sabotage: Probe and Sack Farouk, Protect Our Refineries.”
According to the organisers, the action follows what they described as “disturbing revelations” surrounding alleged regulatory abuse, conflict of interest and economic sabotage within the downstream petroleum sector—claims that have gained renewed attention following public comments by Africa’s richest man and industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
Dangote, speaking at a press conference at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, on Sunday, December 14, 2025, questioned the lifestyle and financial capacity of the NMDPRA boss, urging anti-corruption agencies to investigate.
> “I don’t know why the authority chief executive, Mallam Farouk, has four of his children that he educated in Switzerland at the cost of $5 million for their secondary school education alone, not university,” Dangote said, adding that relevant authorities should determine how a public servant could afford such expenses.
The protesters argue that the allegations raise serious concerns about accountability at the NMDPRA, an agency established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to promote transparency, competition and efficiency in Nigeria’s midstream and downstream oil and gas sector.
Central to their grievance is the issuance of import licences for an estimated 7.5 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) for the first quarter of 2026, despite growing domestic refining capacity—particularly from the Dangote Refinery, which currently produces over 35 million litres daily.
Organisers allege that the continued approval of large-scale fuel imports undermines local refineries, distorts the market, discourages investment and sustains Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
They warn that the situation threatens the country’s economic stability, job creation prospects and long-term energy security.
The $19 billion Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest, was conceived to drastically reduce fuel imports, save billions in foreign exchange and generate thousands of jobs. However, protesters claim it has faced repeated regulatory hurdles that threaten its full commercial viability.
Dr. Kenneth Emea, Convener of the Citizens Against Corruption Coalition (CACC), said the rally is aimed at compelling decisive action from the presidency.
> “President Tinubu, the champion of renewal, must act decisively. Farouk Ahmed’s alleged extravagance—$5 million on Swiss schools while families in Sokoto, his home state, struggle to afford ₦100,000 in school fees—is an affront to every hardworking Nigerian,” Emea said.
> “We demand his immediate suspension pending a full Code of Conduct Bureau and EFCC investigation, prosecution if guilt is established, and urgent reforms to insulate the NMDPRA from vested interests.”
Also speaking, Engr. Ibrahim Husseini, representing refinery workers and youth groups, said the protest was a stand for ordinary Nigerians bearing the brunt of rising fuel costs.
> “This rally is for the pump attendants, the farmers whose production costs keep rising, and the youth denied jobs in a sabotaged industry,” he said.
“President Tinubu’s anti-corruption drive must extend to the downstream sector. Sack Farouk today; probe him tomorrow. Nigeria first.”
According to the organisers, the Abuja protest will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a peaceful march from Unity Fountain to the National Assembly, where formal petitions will be submitted to the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives, calling for legislative oversight and an ad-hoc probe.
In Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt, protesters will gather at NMDPRA offices to deliver solidarity letters and demand internal accountability and whistleblower protections.
Participants have been urged to dress in white, symbolising transparency and justice, while security agencies have been notified to ensure a peaceful and orderly exercise.
The organisers called on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to lend their voices to what they described as a defining moment for the country’s oil and gas sector.
> “This is about protecting Nigeria’s future,” the coalition said. “Our refineries must work. Our institutions must be clean.”