Dangote Males Good His Threat, Petitions ICPC Over Alleged $7m Education Spending by NMDPRA Boss
Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has formally petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), urging the agency to investigate and prosecute the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Ahmed Farouk, over alleged corrupt enrichment and abuse of office.
The petition, dated December 16 and submitted through Dangote’s lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, SAN, was received by the office of the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, SAN. In it, the billionaire industrialist accused the NMDPRA chief of living far beyond his lawful earnings as a public servant.
Dangote alleged that Farouk spent more than seven million dollars on the education of his four children in Switzerland, with the fees reportedly paid upfront for a six-year period, despite having no verifiable legitimate income capable of supporting such expenditure.
According to the petition, Farouk’s actions amount to a grave violation of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Dangote claimed the regulator abused his position and engaged in large-scale corruption and unlawful spending of public funds.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed has grossly abused his office contrary to the extant provisions of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and, in doing enmeshed himself in monumental corruption and unlawful spending of Public funds running into millions of dollars.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed spent without evidence of lawful means of income humongous amount of money of over 7million dollars of Public funds, for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront,” the petition read.
Dangote reportedly provided the names of Farouk’s four children, the Swiss schools they attend, and the specific amounts allegedly paid for each child’s tuition, urging the ICPC to independently verify the claims.
He further accused the NMDPRA boss of using the authority as a tool to divert public funds for personal and private interests, actions he said have triggered public anger and contributed to recent protests against the agency.
The oil magnate argued that Farouk, who has spent his entire working life in public service, could not have legitimately amassed funds anywhere near the alleged amount used to sponsor his children’s education abroad.
“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement are gross acts of corrupt practices for which your Commission is statutorily empowered under Section 19 of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” Dangote said.
He noted that a conviction under the same provision attracts a five-year jail term without an option of fine.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed has corruptly enriched himself with taxpayers’ money meant for public consumption and diverted it into private uses.
“Any Public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five(5) years without option of fine,” Dangote added.
Dangote expressed confidence in the ICPC’s ability, in collaboration with other anti-graft agencies, to investigate and prosecute financial crimes once a prima facie case is established.
He urged the Commission to act swiftly, stressing that the allegations are already in the public domain and that decisive action would help safeguard public trust and the image of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He also pledged to provide documentary evidence to support his claims of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and impunity against the NMDPRA chief.
The petition follows Dangote’s recent public allegations against Farouk during a press briefing in Lagos on Sunday, where he raised concerns over regulatory lapses and alleged corruption within the downstream petroleum sector. He warned that failure to address the issues would continue to erode investor confidence and public trust.
Similar allegations had earlier surfaced in June 2025, when a group of protesters marched to offices of the Attorney General of the Federation, the Code of Conduct Bureau and the ICPC in Abuja, demanding Farouk’s resignation over claims that he had turned the agency into a personal enterprise.
The NMDPRA has since denied all allegations, describing them as a coordinated smear campaign built on falsehoods against its chief executive and leadership.
