Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate alleged corruption involving former NMDPRA Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed. The request follows Dangote’s withdrawal of a previous petition from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to “accelerate the prosecution process,” according to his legal representative, Dr. O.J. Onoja.
Through a formal petition filed at the EFCC headquarters, Dangote urged the commission to investigate claims of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment against Ahmed and to prosecute him if found culpable. Onoja stressed that the EFCC is strategically positioned to handle financial crimes and corruption cases efficiently, citing past legal precedents supporting swift prosecution.
The allegations center on Ahmed’s reported lavish spending on his children’s education, including four children attending elite secondary schools in Switzerland at an estimated cost of $5 million, and $2 million on tertiary education, including a $210,000 2025 Harvard MBA programme. Dangote argued that such expenditures raise questions about potential conflicts of interest and regulatory integrity in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
The petition emphasized that swift EFCC action would serve as a deterrent to other public officers and reinforce accountability in the oil and gas industry. Dangote’s team noted that Nigerians deserve clarity on the source of these funds, especially given the financial struggles of ordinary citizens in Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto.
Ahmed resigned as NMDPRA chief in December amid the controversy, denying the allegations. Dangote’s petition to the EFCC signals his commitment to transparency and public confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory institutions while seeking legal accountability for financial misconduct.
