Oil Industry Corruption Allegations: Tinubu Urged to Ensure Unhindered Probe

Wale Igbintade

A youth advocate and social critic, Nwabueze Onwuneme, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure an unhindered, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into allegations of massive corruption in Nigeria’s oil industry raised by billionaire industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

Onwuneme made the call while reacting to the confirmation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of its readiness to investigate a petition submitted by Dangote against the former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.

The activist described the allegations as a critical opportunity for the federal government to confront what he termed “deep-seated and long-standing corruption” in the oil sector, warning that failure to act decisively could attract international attention.

According to Onwuneme, President Tinubu must treat the allegations with the seriousness they deserve, given the strategic importance of the oil industry to Nigeria’s economy and the credibility of the petitioner.

“Dangote should be taken seriously because he is not known to be flippant. As a major player in the sector, he understands how the industry works and what obtains there,” he said.

Dangote, Africa’s richest man and Chairman of the Dangote Group, had on December 16, 2025, submitted a petition to the ICPC through his lawyer, Chief James Onoja, SAN, accusing Farouk Ahmed of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office, and impunity.

In the petition, Dangote specifically alleged that Ahmed diverted over $7 million in public funds, which he purportedly used to finance the overseas education of his four teenage children in named foreign institutions.

Following the petition and the ICPC’s confirmation that it was set to investigate the allegations, Ahmed resigned on Wednesday from his position as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA.

In a related development, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, also resigned his appointment, further deepening the fallout from the unfolding scandal.

Reacting to the resignations, Onwuneme welcomed the development, describing it as a necessary step to ensure that investigations are conducted without interference.

“The resignation of the heads of the downstream, midstream, and upstream regulatory bodies should aid a thorough and credible investigation into these grave allegations of corruption,” he said.

He added that corruption across Nigeria’s oil industry had become an “open secret,” spanning the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors, and warned that the country could no longer afford to ignore such allegations.

“The issue of high-level corruption in the oil sector is so central to Nigeria’s economic survival that President Tinubu cannot afford to treat this matter lightly. The stakes are simply too high,” Onwuneme said.

The youth advocate also issued a stern warning, threatening to escalate the matter beyond Nigeria if the federal government fails to act within a reasonable time frame.

“If the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government fails to conduct a satisfactory investigation and take appropriate action, I will personally report this matter to the United Kingdom Parliament for greater global attention,” he said.

Onwuneme commended Dangote for what he described as a patriotic intervention, noting that corruption in the oil regulatory agencies affects not only government revenues but also the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.

“Dangote’s action is patriotic. Corruption in this critical sector undermines the very foundation of our economy and affects every Nigerian, directly or indirectly,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu has accepted the resignations of both Ahmed and Komolafe.

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development, stating that the President had already forwarded the names of proposed replacements to the Senate for confirmation.

According to Onanuga, the President has nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, while Engineer Aliyu Mohammed has been proposed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.