The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr Farouk Ahmed has denied reports that he had challenged recent allegations against him by the Chairman of Dangote Group, Dr. Aliko Dangote.
Dangote had submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), asking that the NMDPRA boss be probed on how he was able to fund his children’s Swiss secondary education.
ICPC spokesperson, Mr. John Odey confirmed the receipt of the petition. He said: ‘The ICPC wishes to confirm that it received a formal petition today, Tuesday, 16 December 2025, from Alhaji Aliko Dangote through his lawyer. The petition is against the CEO of the NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed. The ICPC wishes to state that the petition will be duly investigated’.
In a disclaimer on Wednesday morning, Ahmed said: ‘I hereby state categorically that the so-called statement did not emanate from me’.
He further said; ‘While I am aware of the wild and spurious allegations made against me and my family and the frenzy it has generated, as a regulator of a sensitive industry, I have opted not to engage in public brickbat.
‘Thankfully, the person behind the allegations has taken it to a formal investigative institution. I believe that would provide an opportunity to dispassionately distill the issues and to clear my name’.
In the petition he submitted to the ICPC through his team of lawyers, led by Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dangote demanded the arrest and prosecution of the NMDPRA boss, whom he accused of living above his means as a public servant.
He alleged that Ahmed paid over $7 million in tuition fees for four of his children in different schools in Switzerland.
According to him, the school fees were paid upfront for a period of six years.
