Nigerian petroleum expert, Engr. Kailani Mohammed, has challenged business magnate Aliko Dangote to publicly explain how he made his money during his time in Port Harcourt in the 1980s.
Mohammed made the remarks while reacting to recent allegations by Dangote against the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.
Dangote had accused Farouk of allegedly spending about $5 million on the secondary education of his children in Switzerland. In a video that has since gone viral, the billionaire industrialist challenged Farouk to publicly deny the claim, insisting that he has evidence to back it up.
However, speaking in an interview with Trust TV, Mohammed cautioned Dangote against what he described as personal attacks in the course of business disagreements.
“When you are fighting, you don’t touch people personally,” Mohammed said. “Can Dangote tell us the source of his money in the 1980s when he was in Port Harcourt? Who is clean?”
He accused Dangote of using allegations as a tool to push what he described as monopolistic interests within the petroleum sector.
“Every time you want to monopolize, you bring up issues and allegations against people. In the 1980s, we are aware of what happened in Port Harcourt and how he got his money, yet nobody came out to say all these things,” he stated.
Mohammed also questioned claims about the operational capacity of the Dangote Refinery, noting that key components required for higher production levels were not fully functional.
“He previously said the Dangote Refinery was producing 40 percent. The Fluid Catalytic Cracker (FCC), which would raise production to about 80 or 90 percent, is not working. Farouk said it before, and we reiterated it,” he added.
The comments have added a new dimension to the ongoing public exchange between Dangote and the leadership of the petroleum regulatory authority, further fueling debate within the sector.