Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has filed a formal petition with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, alleging abuse of office and corrupt enrichment.
The petition, submitted through Dangote’s legal team and signed by lead counsel, Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN, was lodged at the EFCC headquarters following the withdrawal of a similar petition earlier filed with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Sources close to the matter said the decision to approach the EFCC was taken to accelerate investigation and possible prosecution.
In the petition, Dangote urged the anti-graft agency to investigate the allegations against the former petroleum regulator and prosecute him if a prima facie case is established.
The document noted that the EFCC is strategically positioned, alongside other law enforcement agencies, to handle financial crimes and corruption-related offences, citing relevant judicial precedents.
Dr. Onoja also called on the EFCC leadership, under its Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, to act expeditiously on the matter, stressing that a firm response would serve as a deterrent to other public officials with corrupt tendencies.
According to the petition, swift handling of the case is “imperative and expedient” to reinforce accountability and discourage abuse of public office.
The development is the latest in a series of allegations raised by Dangote against the former NMDPRA chief. On December 14, 2025, Dangote publicly questioned Ahmed’s financial dealings, alleging that he was living far beyond his legitimate means.
Dangote specifically alleged that four of Ahmed’s children attended elite secondary schools in Switzerland, Montreux School, Aiglon College, Institut Le Rosey, and La Garenne International School, each for a period of six years. He estimated annual tuition, travel, and upkeep costs at about $200,000 per child, amounting to roughly $5 million for their secondary education.
The petition further alleged that an additional $2 million was spent on the children’s tertiary education, including $210,000 for a Harvard MBA programme undertaken by one of them in 2025.
“Nigerians deserve to know the source of these funds, especially when many parents in Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto struggle to pay as little as ₦10,000 in school fees,” Dangote was quoted as saying.
The petition calls for a comprehensive investigation into the allegations, with Dangote stating that such action is necessary to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory institutions and promote transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
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