Nigeria’s anti-graft agency has been asked to take up allegations of financial misconduct involving a former petroleum regulator, following a fresh petition submitted by Aliko Dangote’s legal team to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The petition, filed on behalf of the Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, targets Farouk Ahmed, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The move comes after the withdrawal of a similar petition earlier lodged with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), a step the petitioners said was intended to fast-track investigative and prosecutorial processes.
Signed by lead counsel, Dr O.J. Onoja, SAN, the petition requests the EFCC to investigate allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment against Mr Ahmed and to initiate prosecution should a prima facie case be established. The legal team stated that supporting evidence would be made available to aid the investigation.
In the document, the petitioners cited judicial precedents to underscore the EFCC’s mandate to prosecute financial crimes, urging the commission, under its chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, to act on the complaint in line with its statutory responsibilities.
The petition also calls for prompt handling of the case, noting that decisive action would have implications for accountability within public service. It added that the commission’s response would be closely watched in the context of broader efforts to address corruption in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The allegations stem from concerns first raised in December 2025, when Dangote questioned Mr Ahmed’s sources of income, citing the cost of overseas education reportedly undertaken by his children. According to the petition, four of Mr Ahmed’s children attended high-fee secondary schools in Switzerland over a six-year period, with estimated annual expenses said to include tuition, travel and living costs.
The petition listed the institutions attended and estimated the total cost of the secondary education at several million dollars. It further alleged additional expenditure on tertiary education, including enrolment in a postgraduate programme in the United States.
