On Monday, July 22, the House of Representatives initiated an investigation into the claims made by Farouk Ahmed, the CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), regarding the sulphur content in diesel produced at the Dangote Refinery.
The House has recommended President Ahmed Tinubu suspend Ahmed pending a thorough investigation. This recommendation followed a motion of urgent public importance introduced by Representative Esosa Iyawe during a plenary session.
Iyawe’s motion highlighted Ahmed’s remarks that the diesel from the Dangote Refinery was substandard, citing high sulphur content levels between 650 and 1,200 parts per million (ppm). However, tests supervised by members of the House revealed Dangote’s diesel had a sulphur content of 87.6 ppm, while imported diesel samples had sulphur levels exceeding 1,800 ppm and 2,000 ppm, respectively.
The discrepancies in sulphur content led to accusations against the NMDPRA for allegedly granting licenses to importers of high-sulphur diesel, posing health risks and financial losses for Nigerians. Iyawe criticized Ahmed’s statements as unprofessional and undermining local refineries while supporting the continued importation of substandard fuel, which has led to calls for protests against the federal government.
The House Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources has begun investigating the matter and plans to engage with Dangote Refinery, other refiners, and industry stakeholders to address the issue and take necessary actions.
