Dangote exposes alleged $7m foreign school fees for NMDPRA boss’s children, demands tribunal probe

Abdullateef Fowewe

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has escalated his feud with Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, releasing signed details of alleged multimillion-dollar foreign education expenses for Ahmed’s children.

In a personally signed memo, Dangote listed the children’s names and elite Swiss secondary schools they reportedly attended for about six years each:
• Faisal Farouk: Montreux School
• Farouk Jr.: Aiglon College
• Ashraf Farouk: Institut Le Rosey
• Farhana Farouk: La Garenne International School

He claimed the total cost for secondary education—including tuition, upkeep, and air tickets—exceeded $5 million for the four children.

Dangote added approximately $2 million for their tertiary education over four years, spotlighting a specific 2025 expense of $210,000 for Faisal’s Harvard MBA ($150,000 tuition plus $60,000 for upkeep, tickets, and incidentals).

This follows Dangote’s recent press briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, where he demanded a full investigation.

“Ahmed must appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal to explain to Nigerians how he allegedly raised $5m for his children’s school fees,” Dangote insisted, accusing the NMDPRA boss of economic sabotage amid efforts by oil cartels to undermine his refinery operations.

Dangote’s public campaign in 2025 has grown increasingly assertive as he fights to protect his $20 billion refinery from alleged sabotage by entrenched interests.