What can $5m allegedly paid by NMDPRA boss as children’s tuition fees do?

By Aminu Abubakar

On Sunday, the President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, accused the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, of corruption, alleging that he spent about $5 million on secondary school education for his children in Switzerland.

Dangote made the allegation during a media briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lekki, Lagos.

He described the alleged expenditure as grossly inconsistent with the earnings of a public servant and warned that such actions, if proven, pose a serious threat to public trust in Nigeria’s regulatory institutions.

According to him, regulators are expected to uphold transparency and accountability, especially in a sector as strategic as oil and gas.

In a further publication, Dangote alleged that the children paid for include Faisal Farouk of Montreux School, Farouk Jr. of Aigion College, Ashraf Farouk of the Institute Le Rosey, and Fahanna Farouk of La Garenne International School.

Following the allegation, public attention has shifted to the magnitude of the sum involved and what it could have achieved if deployed to address pressing social and infrastructure needs in Nigeria. At the prevailing exchange rate of N1,400 to a dollar, the alleged $5 million translates to approximately N7billion.

In this report, SolaceBase examines what N7 billion could accomplish if channelled into public infrastructure and social development, particularly in North Western Nigeria, where deficits in education, water supply, and sanitation remain widespread.

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The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, is from Sokoto State, North West Nigeria.

Based on an overview and extrapolation of state education budgets across the North West, an estimated N75 million is required to construct a standard public school. Using this benchmark, N7billion could fund the construction of over 93 schools, significantly expanding access to education in the region and easing the burden on overcrowded classrooms.

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Already, in Kaduna, 29% of children of school age are deprived access to school attendance, the figure stands at 35% in Kano, 38% in Katsina, while the percentage in Kebbi stands at  45% per data from the National Bureau of Statistics multidimensional poverty index.

At a rate of N100,000 per session, the N7 billion can pay school fees for 70,000 students.

The same amount could also have a transformative impact on access to clean water. If N20 million is allocated to drill one borehole, N7 billion would be sufficient to drill 350 boreholes across North-Western states, providing potable water to hundreds of communities that currently rely on unsafe sources.

In some states, the impact could be even greater.

For instance, Kaduna State’s 2025 budget allocated N50.5 million for the drilling of 10 boreholes, placing the cost of a single borehole at approximately N5.05 million. At that rate, N7 billion could drill about 1,386 boreholes in Kaduna alone, dramatically improving water access and public health outcomes.

Education infrastructure could also benefit from renovation rather than new construction. Using a budget estimate of N21 million for the renovation of a three-block classroom, as cited in Kebbi State, the same N7 billion could renovate 333 three-block classroom structures across the North West, enhancing learning environments for thousands of pupils.

In Kaduna, 29% of children of school age are deprived access to school attendance, the figure stands at 35% in Kano, 38% in Katsina, while the percentage in Kebbi stands at  45% according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics multidimensional poverty index.

Sanitation is another critical area of need. If N10 million is budgeted for the construction of a modern public toilet facility, N7 billion could provide 700 toilet units across communities and schools in North Western Nigeria, addressing sanitation challenges and reducing the spread of waterborne diseases.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) paints a bleak picture. In Bauchi State, 65% of households lack access to sanitary facilities. The situation is similar in Borno (47%), Gombe (75%), Kaduna (73%), Kano (51%), and Katsina (61%).

Overall, the analysis underscores the scale of social impact that such a sum could have if deployed toward the public good, particularly in regions grappling with chronic infrastructure deficits. The allegation has therefore not only raised questions about accountability among public officials but has also reignited conversations on opportunity cost and the urgent development needs facing Nigeria.