The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed receipt of a petition filed by Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, and has pledged to investigate the allegations.
Dangote submitted the petition on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, accusing the NMDPRA chief of corruption, abuse of office and financial impropriety.
In a statement issued hours after the petition was filed, ICPC spokesperson John Odey said the anti-graft agency had formally acknowledged receipt of the complaint.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) writes to confirm that it received a formal petition today, Tuesday, December 16, 2025, from Alhaji Aliko Dangote through his lawyer,” the statement said.
According to the commission, the petition is directed against the Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed, and the allegations will be “duly investigated.”
In the petition submitted through his counsel, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), Dangote alleged that Farouk spent over $7 million—without evidence of lawful income—on the education of his four children in Switzerland, paid upfront over a six-year period.
The billionaire industrialist further alleged that the NMDPRA boss abused his office by using the regulatory authority to embezzle and divert public funds for personal benefit, actions he said were against the interests of Nigerians.
The petition cited alleged violations of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, including corrupt enrichment and embezzlement, noting that such offences fall within the statutory powers of the ICPC to investigate and prosecute under Section 19 of the ICPC Act.
Dangote urged the commission to conduct a thorough investigation and to prosecute the NMDPRA boss if a prima facie case is established, stressing that convictions under the law attract a five-year jail term without an option of fine. He also appealed to the ICPC to act decisively in the public interest and to safeguard the image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has summoned both Dangote and the NMDPRA chief, urging them to refrain from further public commentary on the matter. Lawmakers warned that the dispute could undermine recent gains recorded in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
