Nigeria’s anti-corruption watchdog, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has formally invited business mogul and Chairman of the Dangote Group, Dr. Aliko Dangote, to appear before its investigators over a petition he submitted against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk.
A source within the commission confirmed on Sunday in Abuja that Dangote has been asked to appear before a specially constituted panel of investigators on Monday, marking the formal commencement of investigations into the allegations contained in the petition.
According to the source, ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), has directed that the probe be handled by a team of senior investigators with a specific mandate to thoroughly examine the claims raised by Dangote. The billionaire industrialist is expected to appear in person or be represented by his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), and to present documentary evidence in support of his allegations.
Dangote, in the petition dated December 16 and submitted through his legal representatives, accused Farouk of corruption and living beyond his lawful means while in public office. Central to the allegations is a claim that the former NMDPRA boss spent more than $7 million on the education of his four children in elite schools in Switzerland, without any verifiable source of income to justify such expenditure.
The petition also alleged that Farouk undermined Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity by colluding with international traders and oil importers through the continued issuance of petroleum import licences, a practice Dangote argued ran contrary to national economic interests and the goals of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Although Farouk has since resigned his position, the ICPC made it clear that his exit from office would not halt the investigation.
“Resignation does not extinguish alleged wrongdoing,” the source said, adding that the commission is determined to follow the matter to its logical conclusion.
Confirming the development, ICPC spokesperson John Okor Odey said the commission had received a formal petition from Dangote and was proceeding in line with its statutory mandate.
“The commission will be fair to all parties involved,” Odey said, stressing that the investigation would be evidence-driven and conducted in accordance with the law.
Dangote, in his petition, is demanding the arrest, investigation and prosecution of Farouk for alleged abuse of office, misappropriation of funds and conduct inconsistent with the standards expected of a public servant.
The probe comes amid wider turbulence in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory space. Earlier in the week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu forwarded the names of new nominees to the Senate to head the country’s key petroleum regulators following the resignations of Farouk and the former Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe.
Tinubu nominated Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as CEO of the NUPRC and Saidu Mohammed as CEO of the NMDPRA, urging the Senate to expedite their confirmation to stabilise the sector.
Meanwhile, senior lawyer and governance advocate, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has warned that the dispute between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the NMDPRA goes beyond a commercial disagreement, describing it as a test of Nigeria’s institutional credibility and governance of its hydrocarbon resources.
Farouk and Komolafe were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to head the twin regulators created under the PIA.
As ICPC’s investigation unfolds, the case is expected to attract intense public scrutiny, given the stature of the petitioner, the strategic importance of the petroleum sector, and growing national demand for accountability in public office.
ICPC Summons Dangote as Corruption Storm Deepens Around Ex-NMDPRA Boss
