Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to a Kaduna-based businessman, Kailani Mohammed, demanding a public retraction and apology over what he describes as defamatory remarks, warning that failure to comply will result in a ₦100bn libel suit.
The demand was communicated in a letter dated 20 December 2025, written by Dangote’s lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), and served on Mohammed. The letter accuses Mohammed of making “false, reckless and malicious” statements that questioned Dangote’s source of wealth and alleged involvement in “unclean business” activities in Port Harcourt in the 1980s.
The remarks were reportedly made during a TrustTV News interview broadcast on 17 December, in which Mohammed was responding to a petition concerning the former chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Entitled Demand for public explanation, retraction and unreserved public apology on your libellous publication against Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the letter states that the comments had caused serious reputational damage to Dangote at home and abroad.
“Our client is a widely reputable international businessman, the richest black man on earth, and the owner of the largest business conglomerate in Africa,” the letter said. “Through hard work, integrity, diligence and perseverance, he has earned the reputation and honour by which he is known globally.”
Dangote’s legal team described the statements attributed to Mohammed as “false, scandalous and deliberately calculated to expose our client to public hatred, ridicule and odium”, adding that they portrayed him as corrupt, monopolistic and vindictive.
The letter quoted Mohammed as saying: “Can Dangote tell us the source of his money in the 80s when he was in Port Harcourt? Who is clean? Every time you want to monopolise, you bring allegations against people.”
Dangote denied ever conducting any business or wealth-generating activity in Port Harcourt in the 1980s, or at any other time, describing the allegations as “entirely fictitious, unfounded and malicious”.
He has demanded that Mohammed, within seven days of receiving the letter, publicly clarify on TrustTV when, where and in what capacity Dangote was allegedly involved in any unlawful or questionable activity in Port Harcourt. In the absence of verifiable evidence, Mohammed is required to retract the statements in full, issue a comprehensive public apology with equal prominence to the original broadcast, and pay ₦100bn in damages for reputational harm.
The letter also demands a written undertaking from Mohammed to refrain from making further defamatory statements. It warns that failure to comply within the stipulated period will lead Dangote to institute legal proceedings, including claims for aggravated damages, and to report the matter to law enforcement agencies for possible criminal defamation.
