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The Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, is facing intensifying scrutiny following moves to pay more than ₦200 billion in outstanding bridging claims to oil marketers, according to a press statement by the Dangote Group on Wednesday.
According to the statement, quoting industry sources, the company said the planned payment of the claims, which reportedly covered legacy obligations for 2023, 2024, and 2025, has allegedly raised serious concerns among economists and sector analysts, particularly over the absence of verifiable data to justify a significant portion of the claims.
Bridging claims are government payments made to oil marketers to compensate for the cost of transporting petroleum products from depots to various parts of the country, enabling uniform pump prices nationwide.
The statement noted that industry analysts say the benefit was rarely enjoyed by Nigerians, as petroleum products are sold at a higher rate in most parts of the country.
“In several instances, marketers submit bridging claims that do not correspond with the levies paid per litre, with discrepancies of up to 47 per cent. The current move to settle approximately N250 billion in legacy bridging claims, despite the regulator’s inability to provide empirical data to substantiate as much as 47 per cent of those claims against verified levies paid by depot owners and importers, strongly suggests the presence of irregular and potentially sinister practices.
“It is therefore imperative for the Auditor-General of the Federation to immediately halt the processing of all bridging claims until a comprehensive investigation and forensic audit are conducted to ensure that claims approved by the regulator accurately align with levies paid per litre,” the statement quoted a senior industry source.
The developments come amid a corruption petition filed by the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging abuse of office, corrupt enrichment, and unlawful diversion of public funds by the NMDPRA chief.
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