Aliko Dangote Takes Aim at Oil Regulator Over $5 Million Swiss School Fees, Decries Corrüption

Billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote has publicly condemned the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, alleging egregious personal spending and mismanagement that is stifling the nation’s oil sector.

Speaking on the state of the industry, Dangote expressed frustration, stating, “Nigeria is supposed to be the refining hub of not even West Africa, but of the sub-Saharan Africa region. We have the crude and we have the refineries… And I don’t know why we should continue to allow some corrupt government officials to try and destroy the whole sector of the economy.”

Allegations of Extravagant Educational Spending
Dangote specifically targeted the regulator’s personal finances, alleging that Ahmed spent $5 million to send his four children to a secondary school in Switzerland. “Today, as we speak, the authority’s chief executive, Mallam Farouk, has four children that he educated in Switzerland at the cost of five million dollars for their secondary school education alone, not university,” Dangote asserted.

He highlighted the stark disparity, noting, “Even my own children, they didn’t go to those schools; my children went to Nigerian secondary school.” Dangote questioned the legitimacy of such expenditure, arguing, “His income does not match paying this kind of fees. At least, even if it was me paying five million dollars for six years for my four children, the tax man has to look at my taxes.”

A Call for Accountability and Prosecution
Contrasting this with the struggles of ordinary citizens, Dangote pointed out, “Some children from Sokoto are struggling to pay 100,000 naira as school fees for secondary school.” He demanded transparency and consequences, insisting, “The man must come out and explain to Nigerians how he paid five million dollars for six years for his children’s education. We can’t allow this to continue. People who have done something wrong must be prosecuted.”