Professor of Communications at Baze University, Abuja, Prof Abiodun Adeniyi, has said the allegations raised by billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote against the former Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, point to deeper systemic problems in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and must trigger a thorough investigation.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Friday, Adeniyi described Dangote’s public whistleblowing as highly unusual and indicative that “something was fundamentally amiss” within the regulatory system.
“When you have an institutional capitalist of that magnitude, someone who has made monumental contributions to Nigeria’s economy, openly railing against an individual, it is very unlikely that the individual will survive,” Adeniyi said.
“It was a very rare move by Dangote. I cannot remember any time I saw him engaging in this kind of public altercation.”
According to him, Dangote’s uncharacteristic outburst suggests unresolved regulatory hostility that dates back to the commissioning phase of the Dangote Refinery.
“I remember when the refinery was about to come on stream, there were remarks made rather undiplomatically suggesting that the fuel Dangote was going to supply was of low quality,” he said.
“There was an absence of diplomacy, and I feared there might be repercussions at some point.”
Adeniyi said the state could not remain passive in the face of such a public confrontation between a critical regulator and Nigeria’s largest private investor.
“We do not expect the institutions of the state to rest on their oars watching this exchange continuously,” he said.
“At some point, intervention was inevitable, and Im very confident that the system intervened and probably reined in the individual to resign.”
He noted that while resignations have occurred, they should not mark the end of the matter.
“Resignation is not enough,” Adeniyi said.
“At this point, investigation should commence in earnest, because if a public officer lives beyond his earnings, then it calls for serious questioning.”
While acknowledging Nigeria’s tendency towards quiet dispute resolution, Adeniyi warned that accountability concerns should not be swept aside.
“Given how disputes are often resolved in this country, there may be some behind-the-scenes negotiations or out-of-court settlements,” he said.
“But because accountability is involved, it may not entirely matter. We should not take these allegations lightly.”
He stressed that corruption in the oil sector remains pervasive.
“There is a lot of rot in the oil sector, and that is what has played out,” he said.
“Every citizen should be interested in this, especially considering what subsidy removal has done to the country.”
Turning to fiscal governance, Adeniyi criticised Nigeria’s continued practice of implementing multiple budgets simultaneously, describing it as inappropriate and confusing.
“It is definitely odd and inappropriate,” he said. “There will be no clarity, and transparency and accountability can hardly be realised if this practice continues.”
He recalled previous attempts to align Nigeria’s budget cycle with the January–December calendar year, warning that repeated deviations weaken fiscal discipline.
“At some point, it was gratifying that only the capital component spilled into the next year, but in recent years it has become increasingly confounding and worrisome,” Adeniyi said.
“I am not surprised that the Senate is now concerned.”
According to him, the persistence of the problem reflects weak political will.
“It is simply attitudinal,” he said.
“Oversight matters, not just from the legislature but also from the implementing executive.”
Adeniyi also expressed concern over Nigeria’s growing debt profile and continued borrowing despite increased revenue from fuel subsidy removal.
“It is not about going into too many debts to finance expenditure,” he said.
“There is still so much waste in the system, and corruption remains very rife.”
He questioned how subsidy savings are being utilised.
“We started making more money with the removal of subsidy,” Adeniyi said.
“What are we doing with those funds? Are we being accountable in how they are used?”
While acknowledging some progress, he said unresolved weaknesses threaten budget performance.
“It was gratifying to hear about savings from public procurement reforms and contractor debarments,” he said.
“But it is usually the unresolved, concerning elements that end up undermining budget implementation.”
Adeniyi said Nigeria’s failure to publish budget implementation reports further erodes public trust.
“The lack of transparency and accountability remains a major problem in our public financing system,” he said.
“It is the elephant in the room.”
He noted that the Freedom of Information Act has been poorly implemented.
“The opacity is continuing and even degenerating,” Adeniyi said.
“It is very unfortunate, and beyond pronouncements, we need concrete action.”
Boluwatife Enome
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