By Peter Obi
One of the most talked-about public controersies in recent times is the allegation surrounding Farouk Ahmed. Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, alleged that Mr. Farouk, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), spent about $5 million on the secondary school education of his four children in Switzerland. He called for a full investigation and public explanation.
At current exchange rates, $5 million is approximately ₦7.5 billion. In a country with over 18 million out-of-school children — the highest number in the world — this revelation inevitably raises questions of proportionality, public trust, and moral responsibility.
Education is one of the greatest legacies a parent can give a child. No reasonable person begrudges parents for investing in their children’s future. Plato, in The Republic, reminds us that “education and upbringing are what make good human beings,” warning that neglect of education harms not just individuals but the entire constitution of society.
The issue here, therefore, is not education itself, but scale, context, and moral consequence, especially when such spending is attributed to a public official in a country with extreme inequality.
What ₦7.5 Billion Could Do at Home
With ₦7.5 billion, it would be possible to build 25 school blocks, at ₦35 million per block, fully covering construction, furnishing, and basic learning infrastructure. This amounts to ₦875 million in capital expenditure.
Each block contains 6 classrooms.Each classroom accommodates 40 students.
That means:
240 students per block
25 blocks × 240 students = 6,000 students educated every year
Each block would employ 18 teachers, giving a total of 450 teachers. At a monthly salary of ₦125,000, each teacher earns ₦1.5 million per year, bringing the total annual wage bill to ₦675 million. After construction (₦875 million) and one full year of teacher salaries (₦675 million), total expenditure is ₦1.55 billion. This leaves ₦5.95 billion from the original ₦7.5 billion.
Making the System Self-Sustaining
If the remaining ₦5.95 billion is invested in Nigerian government bonds at 19%, it would yield approximately ₦1.13 billion annually.
From this yield, allocating ₦10 million per school block per year for libraries, laboratories, utilities, learning materials, meals, and maintenance would cost:
₦250 million annually (₦10m × 25 blocks)This still leaves ₦880 million per year. From this balance:
₦675 million comfortably pays teachers’ salaries every year
Over ₦200 million remains as surplus, ensuring reserves, expansion, and long-term stability
In effect, the system becomes permanently self-funding, without touching the original capital.
A Moral Contrast (Corrected)
In simple terms, the amount allegedly spent on the education of four children could establish a self-sustaining education ecosystem that:
Educates 6,000 Nigerian children every year
Employs 450 teachers.
Ironically, Nigerian children educated abroad would benefit even more if those who remain at home were educated to comparable standards to work for them and with them when they return. An educated society produces better governance, safer communities, stronger institutions, and a more dignified nation. It is a win-win.
The Larger Question Nigeria has a population of about 240 million people. In a system described by former British Prime Minister David Cameron as “fantastically corrupt,” and by the U.S. President Donald Trump as “a now disgraced country,” it is reasonable to assume that there are at least 2,400 individuals – just 0.0001% of the population – who, like the Farouks, have access to extraordinary resources largely derived from public office.
If 2,400 individuals each sacrificed $5 million, it will achieve the following:
School blocks built:
25 × 2,400 = 60,000 blocks
Students educated every year:
6,000 × 2,400 = 14.4 million students annually.
Teachers employed:
450 × 2,400 = 1.08 million teachers.
This would not be a one-off intervention, but a national, self-sustaining education ecosystem, capable of virtually eliminating Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis, while creating massive employment and stabilising communities across the country.
Under such a scenario, Nigeria would no longer be debating access to education; the debate would have shifted to quality, innovation, and excellence.
The Farouk controversy, therefore, is not merely about one man. It is a mirror held up to our collective conscience – asking whether privilege will continue to coexist comfortably with abandonment, or whether responsibility will finally rise to meet opportunity.
As Plato warned centuries ago, when education is neglected, the damage does not stop with children — it spreads to everything else.
A new Nigeria is POssible.