‘Tell Nigerians How You Funded Your Children’s $5m School Fees’ — Dangote Drags NMDPRA Boss as Petrol Price War Deepens

• Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has alleged that the head of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum regulator, Mallam Farouk spent about $5 million educating his children abroad, demanding a full investigation amid rising tension in the fuel pricing battle.

The intensifying petrol pricing dispute in Nigeria took a dramatic turn on Sunday as President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, publicly accused the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, of alleged financial impropriety.

Dangote claimed that Ahmed spent approximately $5 million on the secondary school education of his four children in Switzerland, a figure he argued does not align with the regulator’s known income.

Calling for transparency and accountability, Dangote said the NMDPRA boss should be investigated and made to explain the source of the funds, adding that the matter should be brought before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

“Mallam Farouk has four of his children whom he educated in Switzerland at a cost of $5 million for their secondary school education alone, not university,” Dangote said.

He questioned how such an amount could be legitimately afforded, noting that even for wealthy individuals, such expenditure would attract scrutiny from tax authorities.

“When you look at his income, his income does not match paying this kind of fees. And even if it’s me paying $5 million for six years for my four children, the taxman has to look at my taxes and how much I pay,” he added.

Dangote further contrasted the alleged expenditure with the economic realities faced by ordinary Nigerians, particularly in the North.

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“From Sokoto, where he comes from, people are struggling to pay ₦100,000 for school fees. Many children are at home, not going to school because of ₦100,000,” he stated.

The allegations come amid growing tension in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, as pricing competition and regulatory decisions continue to pit major industry players against government agencies.

As of press time, Farouk Ahmed and the NMDPRA have not issued an official response to the allegations. The claims remain unproven, and no formal investigation has yet been announced.