Dangote Petitions EFCC Over Alleged Corruption by Ex-NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed

The Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, acting through his legal counsel, has submitted a formal petition alleging corruption against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The petition was filed at the EFCC headquarters following the withdrawal of an earlier complaint from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), a move described as a strategic step to hasten the prosecution process.

In the petition signed by Lead Counsel, Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN, Dangote called on the EFCC to investigate allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment levelled against Ahmed and to prosecute him if the claims are established.

“We make bold to state that the commission is strategically positioned along with sister agencies to prosecute financial crimes and corruption related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the courts do not hesitate to punish offenders. See Lawan v. F.R.N (2024) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1953) 501 and Shema v. F.R.N. (2018) 9 NWLR (Pt.1624)337.”

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Onoja further appealed to the commission, under the leadership of its chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, “…to investigate the complaint of Abuse of Office and Corruption against Engr. Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly prosecute him if found wanting”.

The petition also emphasised that: “The commission’s firm resolve in handling this matter with dispatch is not only imperative and expedient but will also serve as a deterrent to other public officers out there with such corrupt proneness and tendencies”.

The latest development underscores Dangote’s stated commitment to transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

It would be recalled that on December 14, 2025, Dangote publicly raised concerns over Ahmed’s financial profile, alleging that the former regulator was living far beyond his lawful income.

He claimed that four of Ahmed’s children attended elite secondary schools in Switzerland at costs running into several millions of dollars, raising questions about possible conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory oversight in the downstream petroleum sector.

Dangote named the schools attended by Ahmed’s children as Montreux School, Aiglon College, Institut Le Rosey, and La Garenne International School, stating that each child spent six years in the institutions.

He estimated the annual cost of tuition, travel, and upkeep per child at $200,000, amounting to about $5 million for their secondary education.

He further alleged that an additional $2 million was spent on their tertiary education, including $210,000 for Faisal’s 2025 Harvard MBA programme.

“Nigerians deserve to know the source of these funds, especially when many parents in Mr. Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto struggle to pay as little as ₦10,000 in school fees,” Dangote stated.

The petition is seeking a thorough investigation, with the aim of ensuring accountability and restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory institutions.