The Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is best placed to investigate alleged corruption involving the former Chief Executive of the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, to accelerate the prosecution process.
Dangote, through his legal representative, has filed a formal corruption petition against the former Chief Executive of the NMDPRA at the headquarters of the EFCC. This was contained in a statement made available to our correspondent by the Dangote Group media team on Friday.
Recall that Dangote had earlier petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate Ahmed for allegedly spending $5m on his children’s secondary education in Switzerland. He withdrew the petition a few days ago, even as the ICPC vowed to continue with its investigation.
The statement on Friday said Dangote’s petition to the EFCC followed “the withdrawal of the same petition from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, a strategic decision aimed at accelerating the prosecution process.”
In the petition signed by Lead Counsel, Dr O.J. Onoja, Dangote urged the EFCC to investigate allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment against Ahmed and to prosecute him if found culpable.
“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 statement quoted Onoja as saying.
Onoja further urged the commission, under the leadership of 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 also stated 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.”
According to the statement, the development “reinforces Dangote’s unwavering commitment to transparency and accountability” in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
On December 14, 2025, Dangote raised concerns about Ahmed’s financial dealings, alleging that the former regulator was living far beyond his legitimate means.
According to Dangote, four of Ahmed’s children reportedly attended elite secondary schools in Switzerland, incurring costs running into several millions of dollars—an expenditure he said raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory oversight in the downstream petroleum industry.
“Dangote listed the schools attended by Mr Ahmed’s children: Faisal Farouk (Montreux School), Farouk Jr (Aiglon College), Ashraf Farouk (Institut Le Rosey), and Farhana Farouk (La Garenne International School), noting that each child spent six years in these institutions. He estimated annual tuition, travel, and upkeep per child at $200,000, totalling approximately $5m for their secondary education,” the statement read.
Additionally, Dangote alleged that Ahmed spent another $2m on tertiary education for the four children, 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 N10,000 in school fees,” Dangote stated.
The petition, it was learnt, called for a comprehensive investigation to ensure accountability and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory institutions.
Ahmed had resigned his position as the head of the NMDPRA in December amid the crisis. He had earlier described the allegations as untrue.
