You Lavish ₦7.5 Billion Per Child, Citizens Struggle to Pay ₦10,000 in Sokoto, Dangote Hauls Ex-NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed to EFCC

By Emmanuel Kwada

In a dramatic escalation of the bitter feud rocking Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has dragged former NMDPRA chief Farouk Ahmed before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with explosive allegations of corruption and abuse of office.

Through his lead counsel, Dr. O.J. Onoja (SAN), the Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited formally lodged the petition at the EFCC headquarters, urging Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede to swiftly investigate Ahmed for alleged corrupt enrichment and prosecute him if prima facie evidence emerges.

This bold move comes after Dangote strategically withdrew the identical petition from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to expedite justice.

The petition cites landmark cases like Lawan v. F.R.N. (2024) and Shema v. F.R.N. (2018), emphasizing the EFCC’s prowess in tackling financial crimes as a deterrent to corrupt public officers.

At the heart of the accusations is Dangote’s claim that Ahmed lived far beyond his legitimate income as a public servant.

On December 14, 2025, Dangote publicly alleged that Ahmed splashed millions of dollars on his four children’s elite education abroad—raising serious questions about unexplained wealth and potential conflicts in regulating the downstream petroleum industry.

Details in the petition reveal staggering expenditures: Faisal Farouk attended Montreux School, Farouk Jr. at Aiglon College, Ashraf Farouk at the ultra-exclusive Institut Le Rosey, and Farhana Farouk at La Garenne International School—all in Switzerland for six years each.

Dangote estimates annual costs per child, including tuition, travel, and upkeep, at $200,000, totaling around $5 million for secondary education alone.

Further allegations point to an additional $2 million spent on tertiary studies, including $210,000 for Faisal’s 2025 Harvard MBA program. “Nigerians deserve to know the source of these funds,” the petition stresses, contrasting the lavish spending with the struggles of ordinary citizens in Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto, where many families battle to afford even ₦10,000 in school fees.

The saga traces back to a prolonged regulatory tussle between Dangote Refinery and the NMDPRA under Ahmed’s leadership, marked by disputes over fuel quality standards and import licenses.

Ahmed resigned in December 2025 amid the initial fallout, but the corruption claims have refused to die down.

Dangote’s action underscores his fierce commitment to transparency and accountability in the sector, promising to provide supporting evidence.

The petition warns that swift handling will deter other officials with “corrupt proneness and tendencies.”

As the EFCC gears up for what could be a high-profile probe—while the ICPC continues its parallel investigation despite the withdrawal—the nation watches intently.

This showdown between a business titan and a former regulator highlights deep-seated issues of integrity in Nigeria’s vital oil industry, with potential ramifications for public trust and anti-corruption efforts.