Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has filed a fresh corruption petition against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Dangote Group on Friday, stating that the petition was formally lodged at the EFCC headquarters through Dangote’s legal team.
According to the statement, the move followed the withdrawal of an earlier petition submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The withdrawal, the company said, was a strategic decision aimed at accelerating investigation and possible prosecution.
The petition, signed by Dangote’s lead counsel, O.J. Onoja, SAN, called on the EFCC to investigate allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment levelled against Ahmed and to prosecute him if a prima facie case is established.
“We make bold to state that the commission is strategically positioned, along with sister agencies, to prosecute financial crimes and corruption-related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the courts do not hesitate to punish offenders,” the petition stated, referencing Lawan v. F.R.N (2024) and Shema v. F.R.N. (2018).
Onoja further urged the EFCC, under its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, “to investigate the complaint of abuse of office and corruption against Engr. Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly prosecute him if found wanting.”
The petition emphasised that a prompt handling of the matter would not only be expedient but would also serve as a deterrent to other public officials with corrupt inclinations.
Dangote had earlier, on December 14, 2025, raised concerns over Ahmed’s alleged lifestyle, accusing the former regulator of living beyond his legitimate earnings.
He claimed that four of Ahmed’s children attended some of the most expensive secondary schools in Switzerland, at costs allegedly running into several millions of dollars.
The petition listed Montreux School, Aiglon College, Institut Le Rosey and La Garenne International School as institutions attended by the children, estimating annual tuition, travel and upkeep at about $200,000 per child, amounting to roughly $5 million for secondary education alone.
Dangote further alleged that about $2 million was spent on the children’s tertiary education, including $210,000 for one child’s Harvard MBA programme in 2025.
“Nigerians deserve to know the source of these funds, especially when many parents in Mr Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto struggle to pay as little as ₦10,000 in school fees,” the petition quoted Dangote as saying.
The petition called for a thorough investigation to promote accountability and restore public confidence in regulatory institutions, while reaffirming Dangote’s commitment to transparency in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Meanwhile, the ICPC has stated that it will continue its investigation into Ahmed despite the withdrawal of Dangote’s petition.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the commission said its enabling law allows it to proceed once an investigation has commenced.
Ahmed has denied the allegations, describing them as “wild and spurious.”
The disagreement between both parties reportedly stems from comments attributed to Ahmed in July 2024, in which he allegedly questioned the quality of locally refined petroleum products, including those produced by the Dangote Refinery.
