Dangote Petitions EFCC Over Alleged Corruption by Former NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed

Dangote Petitions EFCC Over Alleged Corruption by Former NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed

The Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has formally petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged corruption and abuse of office by the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed.

The petition, submitted through Dangote’s legal team and signed by Lead Counsel, Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN, was filed at the EFCC headquarters following the withdrawal of a similar complaint earlier lodged with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The move, according to sources, is aimed at fast-tracking investigations and possible prosecution.

In the petition, Dangote urged the EFCC to investigate allegations of abuse of office, corrupt enrichment and financial impropriety against the former regulator, and to prosecute him if a prima facie case is 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,” the petition stated, citing recent judicial authorities to support the call for decisive action.

Dr. Onoja further appealed to the EFCC leadership under Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede to handle the matter with urgency, stressing that a thorough investigation would serve as a deterrent to other public officers inclined towards corrupt practices.

“The Commission’s firm resolve in handling this matter with dispatch is imperative and will help restore public confidence in public institutions,” the petition added.

The 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 the financial lifestyle of Engr. Ahmed, alleging that the former NMDPRA boss was living far beyond his legitimate income as a public servant. He specifically questioned the source of funds used to finance the overseas education of Ahmed’s children.

According to Dangote, 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 the annual cost of tuition, travel and upkeep per child at about $200,000, bringing the total expenditure to roughly $5 million for secondary education alone.

Dangote further alleged that an additional $2 million was spent on tertiary education for the children, including about $210,000 for a 2025 Harvard MBA programme attended by one of them.

“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 was quoted as saying.

The petition calls on the EFCC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations, with the aim of ensuring accountability and strengthening public trust in Nigeria’s regulatory institutions.