Dr. Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group and Africa’s richest businessman, has taken his ongoing dispute with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to the next level by formally petitioning the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The petition accuses the Managing Director of the NMDPRA, Ahmed Farouk, of corruption, financial impropriety, and living beyond his means as a public official.
Submitted on 16 December 2025 through Dangote’s legal team led by Senior Advocate Ogwu James Onoja, SAN, the petition demands the arrest, investigation, and prosecution of Farouk. Dangote alleges that the NMDPRA boss spent more than $7 million on the education of his four children at elite Swiss schools over a six‑year period — an expenditure that, according to the petition, far exceeds what could reasonably be afforded on a public servant’s salary. Names of the children and the institutions they attended were reportedly included as supporting evidence.
Dangote further claims that Farouk may have misused public funds and leveraged his position at the NMDPRA for personal gain, to the detriment of Nigerians. The petition states that the totality of Farouk’s earnings in his government career does not align with the level of wealth implied by these alleged expenses, and that the alleged conduct amounts to abuse of office, corrupt enrichment, and embezzlement.
In accompanying statements, Dangote has expressed his readiness to provide evidence and testify before anti‑graft authorities to support his claims. He has framed the petition as a call for accountability and transparency in the regulatory sector, particularly in the context of licensing decisions and broader concerns about Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry.
The high‑profile petition has sparked national debate. Civil society organisations, politicians, and activists have weighed in, with some urging President Bola Tinubu to suspend and probe the NMDPRA boss, while others call for strict adherence to due process and evidence‑based investigation.
Dangote’s move follows months of public criticism aimed at the NMDPRA’s regulatory approach, particularly its issuance of licenses for petroleum product imports despite growing local refining capacity. The dispute underscores ongoing tensions between private industry stakeholders and regulatory authorities over oversight, economic policy, and accountability in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
As the petition now sits with the ICPC, the coming weeks are likely to see increased scrutiny of both the allegations and Farouk’s response, with significant implications for governance, anti‑corruption efforts, and public trust in Nigeria’s regulatory institutions.
