The Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has formally submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Ahmed Farouk, over allegations of corruption and financial misconduct.
The petition, dated December 16, was written through Dangote’s lawyer, Mr James Onoja, SAN, and submitted to the office of the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN. In the petition, Dangote called on the anti-graft agency to arrest, investigate and prosecute Farouk Ahmed for allegedly living far beyond his lawful income as a public servant.
According to the petition, the NMDPRA boss allegedly spent more than 7 million dollars on the education of his four children in Switzerland over a period of six years. Dangote claimed that there was no clear or lawful source of income to justify such spending, given Farouk Ahmed’s career in public service.
Dangote named the four children in the petition and listed the Swiss schools they allegedly attended. He also provided a breakdown of the school fees paid for each child, which he said was meant to support his claim that the funds used could not have come from legitimate earnings.
The businessman further accused Farouk Ahmed of using his position as head of the NMDPRA to divert public funds for personal benefit. He alleged that the funds meant for regulating Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sector were being misused to serve private interests, to the disadvantage of the Nigerian people.
Dangote also linked the allegations to recent protests and public complaints by some groups who accused the NMDPRA leadership of poor transparency and abuse of office. According to him, the alleged actions of the agency’s chief had caused public anger and raised serious concerns about accountability in the petroleum sector.
In the petition, Dangote stated that Farouk Ahmed had spent his entire working life in Nigeria’s public sector and had never engaged in private business that could generate such huge personal income. He argued that even if all the official salaries and allowances earned by the NMDPRA boss over the years were put together, they would still fall far short of the 7 million dollars allegedly spent on foreign education for his children.
Parts of the petition described the alleged actions as clear cases of abuse of office, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement, which fall under offences listed in the ICPC Act. Dangote reminded the commission of its powers under Section 19 of the Act to investigate and prosecute public officers involved in corrupt practices.
The petition stated that anyone found guilty under the section faces up to five years in prison without the option of a fine. Dangote expressed confidence that the ICPC, working with other anti-corruption agencies, has the capacity to carry out a thorough investigation and ensure that justice is served.
“We make bold to state that the ICPC is strategically positioned, along with sister agencies, to prosecute financial crimes and other corruption-related offences,” the petition read. “Once a prima facie case is established, the courts do not hesitate to punish offenders.”
Dangote urged the ICPC to act swiftly and decisively on the matter, stressing that the allegations were already in the public domain and should not be ignored. He said a transparent investigation would help protect public interest and strengthen confidence in the government’s anti-corruption agenda.
He also linked the case to the image of the current administration, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has repeatedly promised to fight corruption and improve governance. According to Dangote, allowing the allegations to be properly investigated would help safeguard the credibility of the administration.
Dangote further pledged to cooperate fully with the ICPC during the investigation. He said he was ready to provide documents, records and other evidence to support his claims of abuse of office, corrupt enrichment and impunity against the NMDPRA managing director.
The NMDPRA is a key agency created under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to regulate Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum operations, including fuel distribution, gas supply and pricing standards. The authority plays a major role in ensuring stability and fairness in the energy sector, which is critical to Nigeria’s economy.
Given the importance of the agency, allegations against its leadership have drawn public attention, especially at a time when Nigerians are facing high fuel prices and economic pressure. Many citizens have called for transparency and accountability in agencies that manage national resources.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC has not made any official statement on the petition. Farouk Ahmed has also not publicly responded to the allegations.
The development adds to ongoing debates about corruption, public service ethics and accountability in Nigeria. Analysts say how the ICPC handles the petition could send a strong signal about the seriousness of the government’s fight against corruption, especially involving top officials in sensitive sectors.