Nigerian Mid/Downstream Oil (NMDPRA): Campaign of Calumny or Whistleblowing?

The tragedy of our situation in this country as a people is that even in what looks like genuine patriotic actions, the often thin line between sincere intentions and pure mischief makes it difficult or outrightly impossible to discern good from evil.

It would have been better to just stay away from commenting on the ongoing vicious campaign against the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authourity, NMDPRA, and its managers as concerns what obviously has become an ever-evolving/morphing allegations of one thing or the other, but for the mere fact that it is vexing to the spirit to see some group think they can take all of us for a ride in this country.

Haven followed the serial and staggered protests calling for the sack of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authourity (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, the interesting feature is that for whatever reasons, the adduced wrongdoings for which he is being called to be hanged keep changing form since over one year the campaign started. To me, this is curious.

The question is: who actually wants Farouk Ahmed out as the CEO of NMDPRA? What or who is sustaining this campaign that keeps morphing from one issue to the other? Are there really any genuine reasons to justify the call for his sack?

Until we answer the above posers, it may be difficult for the ordinary Nigerians to actually support these protests.

Interestingly enough, the protesters always come in funny labels including: ‘Whistle-blower’; ‘Concerned Lawyers Network in Africa;’ ‘Civil Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade Network’. One group could not even be properly identified by the Media. Some reports called them ‘Concerned Young Professionals Network’ while some others referred to them ‘Young Professionals’ Forum.’

So what does it tell you about the congress of these protesting young people? Is it not the same people wearing different hijabs?

First it was a so-called ‘whistle-blower’ complaint filed against the NMDPRA boss citing serious allegations of corruption, favouritism, and systemic abuse of office.

The leadership of the NMDPRA under Engr. Ahmed was accused of “undermining the principles of fairness, meritocracy, and institutional integrity”- issues that the Whistle-blower claimed have crippled the Authority’s effectiveness since 2022.

Central to the complaint were accusations of “biased and selective staff promotions.” The Whistle-blower asserts that Engr. Ahmed has consistently violated the Federal Character principle, promoting select individuals based on personal relationships rather than qualifications or merit.

It was alleged that staff who have followed due process are passed over, while favoured individuals are promoted- some without sitting for mandatory exams or meeting the required years of service.

The complaint also highlighted a lack of transparency in staff evaluation procedures. Promotion criteria, as said, are allegedly changed arbitrarily to suit specific candidates. The computer-based tests (CBTs) administered to staff are said to be plagued by irregularities, with exam results often delivered days later via text message rather than announced immediately, raising questions about credibility.

Protection and elevation of staff with known histories of corruption was also alleged. Some individuals, it was alleged, are reportedly rewarded with choice postings, overseas training, and accelerated career advancement.

The Whistle-blower called on the Federal Government and relevant anti-corruption agencies to launch a full-scale investigation into the operations of the NMDPRA under Engr. Farouk Ahmed.

“If the government is serious about transforming the midstream and downstream petroleum sector, it must rescue NMDPRA from its current leadership and management,” the complaint concluded.

This was the beginning of this anti- Farouk Ahmed campaign and this was over 12 months ago. And from its character and tone, it came from aggrieved staff of the agency whether they called themselves whistle or trumpet blowers, it doesn’t matter.

Suddenly the allegations morphed into a new prototype that accused the NMDPRA boss of issuing licences to some oil traders who regularly import high-sulphur content diesel into Nigeria.

And in his attempt to clarify himself at the House of Representatives, the accusation metamorphosed at the National Assembly into what was termed “unguarded comments against local refineries.”

This can authouritatively be traced from the spirit and intent of their grievances to an in-house clique working with some aggrieved fuel producers/importers/marketers.

From there, another group of protesters sprang up to allege that Engr. Farouk Ahmed diverted over $5 million in public funds to sponsor the foreign education of four of his children at luxurious institutions abroad saying his extravagant personal spending appears inconsistent with his known income as a public official.

This came from in-house wallahi!

Now, it has entered a new accusations of nepotism, accusing Engr. Ahmed of facilitating the recruitment of his son into Oando PLC, a company regulated by the NMDPRA. This, they argued, undermines the agency’s integrity and suggests a conflict of interest.

According to the statement of the latest protesting group which are allegedly all members of the Nigerian bar, “What this tells us is that the regulator has become an enabler. That the agency tasked with defending Nigerian lives is instead protecting vested interests. That the head of the NMDPRA is no longer working for Nigeria — he is working for himself, his family, and a small group of connected fuel traders.

“He has become a symbol of the very rot the Petroleum Industry Act was designed to cure. His continued presence in office is a threat to reform. A threat to transparency. A threat to every effort to clean up the Nigerian oil and gas sector. His name is now synonymous with allegations of embezzlement, regulatory compromise, and abuse of office.

Also, the so-called ‘Lawyer Network’ called for an investigation and a review of all permits granted under Ahmed’s leadership, particularly those involving fuel imports, and urged the authorities to take appropriate actions based on findings.

Since the several allegations could not be tangibly substantiated, the protesters who are mainly in-house with their collaborators outside decided to go for an all-out smear campaign!

The picture painted above became necessary so we can begin to decipher truth from outright lies!

Does this move not reek of desperation and blatant bias of the conspirator(s) whose allegiance were often exposed unconsciously from their public comments and insinuations and tones of their Press statements?

Honestly, looking at the soft reasons serially adduced in every circle of this campaign that obviously has become an outright calumny, there is a clear case of blackmail that daily is becoming more of a vengeance mission.

This is not defending or exonerating Engr. Farouk. I don’t know him from Adam and I’ve never met him but it’s vexing that people can just be mobilised over peanuts to defame someone who in his best ability seems to be doing things he believes is in the best interest of the nation. We are not all fools and some of us can see beyond the surface to know that what we see on the surface is just superficial.

It should be clear to the powers that be that the allegations are so irresponsible and outrightly mendacious and no bit of it is worth the efforts, resources and time being expended to organise the protests. There are so many things stronger and more heinous, that the so call ‘league of lawyers,’ the ‘Young and even the old Professionals’ can deploy their energy to protest in the interest of a better Nigeria.

The same things said in 2024 by a different set of agitators are being vomited verbatim in 2025, one full year after, by another set of “aggrieved young Nigerian Professionals.” Haba!

Now, the so called ‘Lawyers’ group introduced another morph of the previous allegations accusing Engr. Ahmed of alleged “regulatory compromise, particularly in the issuance of permits for the importation of diesel with high sulphur content, which violates environmental standards and poses health risks to the public.”

Curiously, these lawyers who should actually be hiding their faces in shame for allegedly bringing Nigeria to its current despicable state by enthroning dubious and very incompetent politicians to run the affairs of this country through their dubious court judgements on electoral matters are now more concerned and campaigning for enforcement of environmental standards in the Nigerian Downstream oil industry. Where is the Nigerian Environmental Protection Agency?  I am an industry person and if you’ve followed me on my analyses/comments on the Nigerian oil and gas industry you would know that some of us have been at the forefront of calling out those perceived to be doing wrong in the sector without fear or favour even at the risk of our lives. That’s why I’ve maintained that we have more serious malfeasance to protest against in the nation’s oil industry (Upstream, Downstream) especially in the manner both the resource and earnings from it is being managed or rather mismanaged. God bless Nigeria!

(IFEANYI IZEZE: [email protected]; 234-8033043009)