Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), has formally submitted a corruption petition against the former Managing Director of the Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This action follows Dangote’s earlier withdrawal of the same petition from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), a move intended to expedite the investigation and prosecution process.
The petition, signed by Lead Counsel Dr. O.J. Onoja S.A.N, requests the EFCC to investigate allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment by Ahmed, and to prosecute him if found culpable. Dangote pledged to provide evidence supporting claims of financial misconduct and impunity.
“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,” the petition stated. Onoja also urged EFCC leadership under Mr. 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 emphasized 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.” This development highlights Dangote’s commitment to transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Dangote had previously raised concerns on December 14, 2025, about Ahmed’s financial dealings, noting that the former regulator appeared to live far beyond his legitimate means. He cited that four of Ahmed’s children attended elite secondary schools in Switzerland, with costs reaching several million dollars. The children, Faisal Farouk (Montreux School), Farouk Jr. (Aiglon College), Ashraf Farouk (Institut Le Rosey), and Farhana Farouk (La Garenne International School), each spent six years at these institutions, with estimated annual tuition, travel, and upkeep per child at $200,000, totaling approximately $5 million.
Dangote also alleged an additional $2 million spent on tertiary education for the children, including $210,000 for Faisal’s 2025 Harvard MBA program, questioning the source of these funds given the economic conditions in Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto. “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 N10,000 in school fees,” Dangote stated.
The petition calls for a thorough investigation to ensure accountability and restore public trust in regulatory institutions overseeing Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
