A civil society organisation, the Coalition for Social Accountability and Fiscal Justice (CSAFJ), has called on the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, to publicly disclose his full asset portfolio, citing glaring discrepancies between his known income as a civil servant and his alleged property and luxury acquisitions within and outside Nigeria.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday and signed by the group’s president, Barr. Nafisat Bako Waziri, the CSAFJ said it was deeply concerned about “emerging patterns of opulence” associated with Ahmed and members of his immediate family.
The group’s intervention follows recent national outrage over revelations that Ahmed allegedly spent more than $5.5 million on his children’s private education in elite international schools. While the outrage around the tuition expenses has not been addressed transparently, CSAFJ said its concern extended beyond schooling.
“New information obtained from public sources and whistleblowers strongly suggests that the NMDPRA boss may be linked to multiple high-value properties in Abuja, Lagos, and Dubai,” the statement read.
“We are asking a simple question: How did a career civil servant, who has never operated a known business or held a major private-sector role, come to own mansions in Maitama, waterfront apartments in Ikoyi, and is allegedly linked to a serviced penthouse in Dubai Marina? Let him show us the trail.”
According to the group, the continued silence from the NMDPRA and lack of institutional response from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) only deepens public suspicion.
Barr. Waziri noted that Ahmed’s defence so far had leaned on vague appeals to integrity, rather than clear, document-backed responses about the funding sources for his lifestyle.
“In a democracy, public office is a public trust. Nobody is accusing Engr. Farouk Ahmed of guilt without evidence. We are simply saying: justify the wealth. The Code of Conduct Bureau exists to scrutinise such scenarios—when lifestyles balloon far beyond salaries,” she added.
The group further expressed worry that NMDPRA has issued no clarification on whether its own internal compliance frameworks had flagged or queried the CEO’s expenditures and asset declarations.
“It is embarrassing that in a sector where transparency and regulatory integrity are critical to investor confidence, the head of the key agency is at the centre of such a scandal—and yet carries on without any official inquiry,” the group said.
CSAFJ warned that the case could quickly erode public confidence in the petroleum regulatory architecture if not swiftly addressed. The group also questioned whether Ahmed’s influence within the corridors of power is shielding him from scrutiny.
“This country cannot have two sets of rules—one for the powerful, and another for the poor. If Betta Edu was suspended for administrative infractions, and Babachir Lawal was removed over graft allegations, why is Farouk Ahmed still in office amid such damning revelations?” the group asked.
They called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate consistency in his anti-corruption stance by mandating the relevant agencies to audit Ahmed’s asset declarations, both before and after his appointment as CEO of NMDPRA.
“We urge Mr. President to act decisively. If Ahmed is innocent, an independent probe will clear his name. But continued silence sends the wrong signal to Nigerians and to the global community watching our governance standards,” CSAFJ said.
