Nigeria's House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to look into a dispute between the country's downstream oil regulator and Dangote Refinery over allegations about arbitrary fuel-import licences and petrol pricing benchmarks, amid corruption claims against the regulator's chief.

Aliko Dangote, Nigeria's richest man, has escalated his fight with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), accusing it of allowing in cut-price fuel imports that squeeze local refineries, including his 650,000-barrel-per-day Lagos plant, Africa's largest.

Dangote has urged a formal probe of NMDPRA chief Farouk Ahmed, citing governance concerns and claims of personal spending beyond declared income.

Lawmakers warned the row could trigger a fuel supply crunch over the holidays and said regulatory uncertainty threatens energy security and investor confidence.

The motion put by House member Francis Waive mandates the House's petroleum committees to resolve the dispute and report back within four weeks.

Members say Dangote refinery is a "strategic national investment" that could end Nigeria's reliance on fuel imports, earn much-needed foreign exchange, and moderate prices.

They said disputes between the regulator and the country's largest domestic refiner risked disrupting supply, price volatility, and policy inconsistency.

Lawmakers did not immediately disclose hearing dates.