The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has asked billionaire industrialist, Aliko Dangote, to personally appear before it to adopt a corruption petition he filed against the former Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.
Dangote had petitioned the commission accusing Ahmed of fraud, including allegedly spending over $7 million of public funds on the education of his four children in Switzerland. Ahmed has not publicly responded to the allegations.
In a letter dated 24 December and addressed to Dangote’s lawyer, Dr Ogwu Onoja (SAN), the ICPC said the nature of the petition required the complainant to personally adopt it.
Onoja had earlier visited the ICPC on 22 December to adopt the petition on his client’s behalf.
According to the commission, the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 does not allow proxy representation in matters that may result in criminal prosecution.
The letter, signed by the Chief of Staff to the ICPC Chairman, Rouqayya Ibrahim, stated that the personal adoption of the petition was necessary to ensure procedural integrity and admissibility should the matter proceed to court.
The ICPC therefore requested Dangote to appear at its headquarters on 29 December 2025 at 10am to formally adopt the petition.
Dangote’s corruption complaint comes against the backdrop of a long-running dispute between his refinery business and the petroleum sector regulator.
Last year, Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE filed — and later withdrew — a ₦100 billion suit challenging the issuance of petroleum import licences, arguing that the move undermined domestic refining.
The ICPC reiterated in its petition guidelines that any person may lodge a complaint against an individual or corporate body where reasonable grounds exist to suspect offences under the anti-corruption law.
