Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Lagos — Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, has issued a formal seven-day ultimatum to a Kaduna-based businessman, Kailani Mohammed, demanding that he retract and apologise publicly for statements described as defamatory and libellous, or face a ₦100 billion lawsuit and potential further legal action. The high-stakes demand highlights growing friction between one of Africa’s most prominent business figures and a private entrepreneur over contested public comments.
The ultimatum was conveyed in a letter dated 20 December 2025, delivered to Mohammed through his legal representatives and signed by Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). In the notice, Dangote’s legal team accused Mohammed of making “false, reckless and malicious” remarks that called into question Dangote’s wealth, business conduct and integrity, assertions the billionaire executive strongly denies.
The disputed comments were reportedly made by Mohammed during an interview aired on TrustTV News on 17 December 2025, in which he reacted to his petition against the former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). During the broadcast, Mohammed questioned how Dangote accumulated his wealth in the 1980s in Port Harcourt, alluding to what he described as “unclean business” activities.
Dangote’s legal notice, titled “Demand for public explanation, retraction and unreserved public apology on your libellous publication against Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON,” asserts that Mohammed’s statements “gravely lowered” Dangote’s reputation both domestically and internationally, exposing him to ridicule, hatred and suspicion among business partners, associates and governments where he operates. The letter describes the claims as “entirely fictitious, unfounded and malicious.”
In the letter, Dangote’s lawyers categorically denied that he ever engaged in business, commercial activity or wealth-generating enterprise in Port Harcourt in the 1980s or at any other time, contradicting the claims reportedly made by Mohammed. The legal team further characterised the remarks as scandalous and deliberately calculated to cast doubt on Dangote’s character and professional accomplishments.
As part of the ultimatum, Mohammed has been given a week from the date of receipt of the letter to undertake a series of actions: publicly explain his allegations on the same TrustTV platform where the original statements were aired, publicly and unequivocally retract them in their entirety if he cannot substantiate them, and issue an unreserved apology with equal prominence to the initial broadcast. Additionally, Dangote’s legal team has demanded ₦100 billion in damages for reputational harm and a written undertaking to desist from making or publishing further defamatory statements.
The letter also warns that, should Mohammed fail to comply with these conditions within the stipulated period, Dangote will initiate legal proceedings in a competent court of law, including claims for aggravated damages. It reserves the right to report the matter to law enforcement agencies for possible criminal defamation prosecution under applicable Nigerian laws, which allow for both civil and criminal remedies in defamation cases.
This legal confrontation underscores the sensitive interplay between freedom of expression and protection of reputation for high-profile individuals in Nigeria’s public sphere. Defamation law in the country provides for stringent consequences where unverified allegations made in the media or public forums harm an individual’s standing and business interests. Legal analysts say such ultimatums and lawsuits are not uncommon in high-stakes reputational disputes, especially where comments are aired on national television and tied to broader controversies.
For Mohammed, the ultimatum presents both a legal challenge and a public relations test as he navigates the demands from one of Nigeria’s most influential business leaders. Should the matter proceed to court, it could draw significant public and media attention given Dangote’s status as one of Africa’s wealthiest and most prominent entrepreneurs.
As the countdown begins, observers will watch closely whether Mohammed amends or stands by his statements, and how the dispute unfolds within Nigeria’s legal system, where libel and defamation cases can involve complex intersections of fact, public discourse and individual rights.
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