Businessman and industrialist Aliko Dangote has accused the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, of financial impropriety, urging the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to investigate the source of funds allegedly used to finance his children’s foreign education.
Speaking during a media briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos, Dangote claimed that Ahmed spent approximately $5 million on six years of secondary education for four children in Switzerland. He argued that such expenditure appears inconsistent with earnings from public service and raises serious questions about asset declaration, income transparency, and regulatory integrity.
Dangote stressed that public officials are subject to constitutional and statutory obligations of accountability, particularly where lifestyle and spending patterns may exceed lawful income. He questioned whether the alleged expenditure could be reconciled with Nigeria’s public service remuneration structure and called for an independent inquiry to determine compliance with applicable codes of conduct.
While refraining from demanding Ahmed’s immediate removal from office, Dangote maintained that investigative bodies, including the CCB, should examine the matter to establish whether any breach of public trust occurred. He added that, should the allegations be denied, he would pursue legal avenues to compel disclosure from the foreign educational institutions involved.
As of the time of publication, the NMDPRA chief had not issued a public response to the allegations.
