In a significant escalation of a high-profile corruption allegation, business magnate Aliko Dangote has formally requested the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the former chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.
Strategic Shift from ICPC to EFCC
This latest move represents a strategic pivot in Dangote's pursuit of the case. He had initially filed an identical complaint with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in December 2025. However, his legal team made a decisive shift by withdrawing that petition on January 7, 2026, and immediately redirecting it to the EFCC.
Dr. O.J. Onoja (SAN), Dangote's lead counsel, described this transfer as a tactical decision aimed at accelerating the process and ensuring a swifter path to potential prosecution. The belief is that the EFCC's mandate and resources make it a more potent force for such financial crime investigations.
Core Allegations: $7 Million on Foreign Education
The petition, addressed to EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, levels serious accusations against Ahmed. The central claim is that the former public servant lived far beyond his legitimate earnings during his tenure. A primary example cited is the alleged expenditure of over $7 million on the foreign education of his four children.
According to the document, this substantial sum was spent over a six-year period to fund their attendance at elite schools in Switzerland. Dangote's petition argues that this level of spending is utterly unjustifiable based on Ahmed's official salary as a career public officer.
The breakdown of the allegations, which first surfaced publicly in December 2025, includes an estimated $200,000 annually per child for tuition, travel, and upkeep. Furthermore, an additional $2 million was allegedly set aside for their tertiary education, including over $200,000 for a Harvard MBA programme in 2025.
Call for Action and Awaiting Response
Dr. Onoja's petition urges the EFCC to launch a comprehensive probe into what it terms "financial misconduct, violation of the code of conduct for public officers, and related offences." It emphasises the commission's strategic position to prosecute such crimes and posits that a successful investigation would serve as a strong deterrent to other public officials.
This development follows Ahmed's resignation from his NMDPRA position on December 17, 2025, after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu. As of now, the petition is pending review and action by the EFCC. Farouk Ahmed has yet to issue any public statement or response to these specific allegations made by Africa's richest man.
The case highlights ongoing tensions within Nigeria's energy regulatory landscape and underscores the continued scrutiny on the lifestyles of public servants versus their declared incomes.
