Aliko Dangote and Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Ahmed Farouk
Africa’s richest businessman, Aliko Dangote, has taken his long-running dispute with Nigeria’s petroleum regulator to a new level, formally petitioning the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of corruption and abuse of office against the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk.
The petition, dated December 16, was submitted through Dangote’s lawyer, Ogwu James Onoja (SAN), and officially received by the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN). In it, Dangote urges the anti-graft agency to “immediately arrest, investigate and prosecute” the NMDPRA boss over what he described as “corrupt enrichment, financial impropriety and abuse of office.”
Central to the petition is the claim that Farouk has been “living far beyond his legitimate earnings” as a public servant. Dangote alleged that the regulator’s chief paid more than $7 million upfront to cover six years of tuition for his four children at elite schools in Switzerland—an expenditure he insists is inconsistent with Farouk’s cumulative earnings in public service.
According to the document, the petition goes as far as naming the children and their respective schools, providing details meant to aid verification by investigators. Dangote argued that such spending “cannot be reasonably explained” by lawful income and accused Farouk of diverting public funds through his position at the NMDPRA for personal benefit.
The industrialist further claimed that the alleged actions have fueled public anger, protests, and eroded confidence in the regulation of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector. He vowed to personally appear before the ICPC to present evidence in support of the allegations, stressing that decisive action would “reinforce accountability” and protect the credibility of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The formal petition follows Dangote’s remarks at a press briefing held on December 14 at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos, where he publicly alleged that Farouk spent between $5 million and $7 million on his children’s secondary education abroad—an amount he described as “incompatible with a public officer’s salary.”
Similar allegations had surfaced earlier in 2025, sparking protests and renewed calls for investigation by civil society groups, including SERAP. The controversy has since spilled into the National Assembly, with the House of Representatives inviting both parties as part of a broader inquiry into regulatory tensions within the oil and gas sector.
As at the time of filing this report, neither the ICPC nor the NMDPRA has issued an official response to the petition. Farouk, however, has previously dismissed related accusations as “baseless smear campaigns,” insisting they are aimed at discrediting his office.
