Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Refinery and chairman of the Dangote Group, has released a document that accuses Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), of excessive foreign‑education spending. The publicly circulating paper claims Ahmed spent roughly $5 million on the secondary and tertiary education of his four children abroad, specifically in Switzerland and the United States.
According to the document, Ahmed’s children attended prestigious schools such as Montreux School, Aiglon College, Institut Le Rosey and La Garenne International School, each spending about six years at their respective institutions. It estimates that annual tuition, upkeep, air travel and living costs amount to around $200,000 per child, or $800,000 for all four children each year. Over a six‑year period, the total cost is projected at approximately $4.8 million, bringing the overall secondary‑education expense to about $5 million.
The paper also alleges that one of Ahmed’s children, Faisal Farouk, recently completed an MBA program at Harvard University. It states that Harvard tuition was $150,000, with an additional $60,000 for upkeep and other expenses, totaling roughly $210,000 in 2025.
Ahmed has not yet responded publicly to these allegations, and the NMDPRA has not issued an official statement, although the regulator previously dismissed similar claims as false. The controversy resurfaces after a coalition of civil‑society groups, Lawyers in Defence of Good Governance, retracted their initial allegation against Ahmed, labeling it misinformation. The House Committee on Petroleum Resources and Downstream had also urged both Dangote and Ahmed to stop further public attacks.
Dangote’s release of these details has revived the issue, prompting many to await a response from Ahmed and the NMDPRA. The allegations carry significant implications, and the outcome remains uncertain.
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