The founder of Africa’s largest petroleum refinery, Aliko Dangote, has escalated a high-profile dispute within Nigeria’s petroleum sector by submitting a formal petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), seeking an investigation into the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed, over alleged corruption.
The petition accuses the regulator of corruption, financial impropriety, and abuse of office.
The petition, filed on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, through Dangote’s lawyer, Mr. Ogwu James Onoja (SAN), was formally received by the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN).
It called for the immediate arrest, investigation, and prosecution of Mr. Ahmed.
Dangote alleged that the NMDPRA boss has been living far beyond his legitimate earnings as a public servant, citing alleged expenditures exceeding $5 million paid upfront for the six-year education of his four children at elite secondary schools in Switzerland.
According to the petition, the children and their respective schools were named to enable verification by the ICPC. Dangote contends that Mr. Ahmed’s cumulative public sector earnings could not reasonably support such spending, accusing him of embezzlement and diversion of public funds through his position at the NMDPRA for personal benefit.
The petition further claims that the alleged actions have fuelled public discontent, sparked protests, and undermined confidence in the downstream petroleum sector.
Dangote has indicated his willingness to appear in person before the ICPC to present evidence in support of his claims of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office, and impunity. He argued that swift action by the anti-graft agency would promote accountability and protect the integrity of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The petition follows Dangote’s public allegations made during a press briefing at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos on December 14, where he claimed that Mr. Ahmed spent between $5 million and $7 million on his children’s secondary education abroad—an amount he described as inconsistent with the earnings of a public officer.
Similar allegations surfaced earlier in 2025, triggering protests and calls for investigations by civil society groups, including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
As of the time of filing this report, neither the ICPC nor the NMDPRA had issued an official response to the petition. Mr. Ahmed has previously dismissed related allegations as baseless and described them as smear campaigns.
The dispute has also attracted parliamentary attention, with the House of Representatives summoning both parties to address wider regulatory tensions within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
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