Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of corruption and financial impropriety against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk.
The petition, dated December 16 and submitted through Dangote’s lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), calls for the arrest, investigation, and prosecution of Farouk, accusing him of living above his means as a public servant. It was received by the office of the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN).
According to the petition, Farouk allegedly spent more than $7 million, without evidence of lawful income, to fund the education of his four children in Switzerland, paying upfront for six years. Dangote reportedly listed the names of the children, their schools, and the amounts paid to enable verification by the anti-graft agency.
Dangote further alleged that the NMDPRA boss used the authority of the agency to embezzle and divert public funds for personal benefit and private interests, actions he said had fueled recent public uproar and protests. He maintained that Farouk has worked solely in Nigeria’s public sector throughout his adult life and could not have legitimately earned sums close to the amount allegedly expended on his children’s education abroad.
In the petition, Dangote described the allegations as clear cases of abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement, offences he said fall squarely within the ICPC’s statutory mandate under Section 19 of the ICPC Act. He urged the commission to act decisively, noting that the law prescribes up to five years’ imprisonment without an option of fine upon conviction.
Dangote also said the matter was already in the public domain and expressed confidence that the commission would investigate thoroughly in order to uphold accountability and protect the image of the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He pledged to make himself available to provide evidence in support of the allegations.
The industrialist first publicly raised the claims during an interview on Sunday, questioning Farouk’s source of wealth and alleging that the education of the four children abroad cost between $5 million and $7 million. He contrasted this with his own decision to educate his children in Nigeria and argued that Nigerians deserved to know how a public officer could afford such expenses while many families struggle to pay modest school fees.
On Tuesday, Dangote published details of the allegations in a national newspaper and formally submitted the petition to the ICPC hours later. He also accused the NMDPRA of frustrating efforts to improve local refining, particularly through the continued issuance of petroleum import licences.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has stepped into the dispute, summoning both Dangote and Farouk. Its joint committees on Petroleum Resources (Midstream and Downstream) have asked the parties to refrain from further public comments, saying the intervention is aimed at easing tensions that could destabilise the downstream petroleum sector. A leader of the committees, Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the lawmakers want to understand the issues driving the allegations and counter-allegations to find sustainable solutions.
The dispute between Dangote and the NMDPRA dates back to last year following the commencement of operations at the Dangote Refinery. In July, Farouk claimed that products from local refiners, including the Dangote Refinery, were of lower quality than imported products, and accused the businessman of attempting to monopolise energy supply—claims Dangote denied. The House of Representatives subsequently probed the matter and called for Farouk’s suspension. In August 2024, the NMDPRA maintained that the Dangote Refinery was still in a pre-commissioning stage and had not been granted an operational licence.
