Founder and President/Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has accused the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, of corruption, alleging that he spent $5 million on secondary school education for his children in Switzerland.
Dangote made the allegation on Sunday during a media briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lekki, Lagos, describing the alleged expenditure as inconsistent with a public servant’s income and a threat to public trust in regulatory institutions.
He said the alleged payment covered six years of secondary education for four children, an amount he argued could not reasonably be explained by earnings from public service.
“I’ve had people actually complaining about a regulator who put his children in secondary school, and that secondary school education, which is six years, four of them cost Nigeria five million dollars. My children went to secondary school in Nigeria. They did not go outside Nigeria,” Dangote said.
The billionaire stressed that taxpayers deserve accountability and questioned why a public official could afford to spend millions of dollars on foreign education if public funds were being properly used.
“This is a system where some of us are taxpayers. When people are complaining, we also complain, because when I pay tax, I want to see my money put to use, not stolen,” he said.
Dangote further raised concerns over income declaration, conflicts of interest, and regulatory integrity in the downstream petroleum sector. He called for a formal investigation before any punitive action, suggesting that authorities like the Code of Conduct Bureau examine whether Ahmed’s income aligns with the alleged $5 million expenditure.
“The man must come and explain to Nigerians how he paid five million dollars for six years for his four children’s education. He does not need to be sacked. Let him come and clear that he has not compromised his positions in government at the cost of Nigerians,” Dangote said.
He contrasted the allegation with the struggles of ordinary Nigerians, noting that many parents cannot afford ₦100,000 in secondary school fees, highlighting a perceived disconnect between public service earnings and Ahmed’s alleged spending.
Dangote warned he would take legal action to compel disclosure if the allegation is denied, including potentially suing the schools to reveal the actual tuition paid.
Ahmed has not responded to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
