Africa’s richest man and President 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 the regulator spent about $5 million on secondary school education for his children in Switzerland—an expenditure he said is inconsistent with the income of a public servant.
Dangote made the allegation on Sunday during a media briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Complex in Lekki, Lagos, arguing that such spending raises serious questions about accountability, income declaration, and integrity within Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory system.
According to Dangote, the alleged amount covered six years of secondary education for four children, a figure he said cannot reasonably be explained by earnings from government service.
“People have been complaining about a regulator who sent his four children to secondary school abroad, and that six years of education cost Nigeria about five million dollars,” Dangote said.
He contrasted the claim with his personal experience, noting that his own children attended secondary school in Nigeria.
“My children went to secondary school in Nigeria. They did not go abroad for secondary education,” he added.
Dangote said the issue is not about private choices but about public trust, especially when it involves officials overseeing strategic sectors of the economy.
“Some of us are taxpayers. When people complain, we also complain. When I pay tax, I want to see my money used properly—not stolen,” he said.
He questioned how a career public servant could afford such expenditure without access to funds beyond legitimate earnings.
“I don’t understand how the head of a regulatory authority can have four children educated in Switzerland at the cost of five million dollars for secondary school alone—not university,” he alleged.
The businessman said the claim raises red flags over possible conflicts of interest and threatens confidence in the downstream petroleum sector, which the NMDPRA regulates.
Dangote further referenced reports suggesting overseas university education for at least one of Ahmed’s children, intensifying his concerns about income-to-expenditure mismatches.
“I understand that one of them just finished Harvard. We must ask what kind of system we are running where people destroy a country while taking money from government, because their spending does not match their income,” he said.
Drawing parallels with private-sector accountability, Dangote said even business owners are routinely subjected to scrutiny when their financial activities raise questions.
“Even if I paid five million dollars for my children’s education, the tax authorities would ask how much tax I paid. That is how accountability works,” he stated.
Despite the seriousness of the allegation, Dangote said he was not calling for Ahmed’s immediate dismissal, but insisted on an independent investigation to establish the facts.
“He does not need to be sacked. The Code of Conduct Bureau or any appropriate body should investigate and determine whether his income can justify this level of spending,” he said.
He urged authorities to allow Ahmed the opportunity to clear his name, while stressing that transparency is essential to restoring confidence in public institutions.
Dangote also highlighted the stark contrast between the alleged expenditure and the reality faced by millions of Nigerians.
“In many communities, people struggle to pay ₦100,000 for secondary school fees. Children are out of school because their parents cannot afford it,” he said.
“It is difficult to understand how someone who spent his career in public service would have four children whose secondary school education alone costs five million dollars.”
He warned that if the allegation is denied, he would pursue legal steps to compel disclosure from the institutions involved.
“If he denies it, I will publish the tuition paid and sue the schools to disclose how much was paid over the entire period,” Dangote said.
“Nigerians deserve to know. People who have done something wrong must be held accountable.”
As of the time of filing this report, Farouk Ahmed had not responded to the allegation, and the NMDPRA had yet to issue an official statement.