Africa’s richest man, Dr Aliko Dangote, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to a Kaduna-based businessman, demanding a public retraction of allegedly defamatory statements or face a N100 billion lawsuit for damage to his reputation.
The President of the Dangote Group, through his legal representative, Dr Ogwu James Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of Onoja Law Firm, Abuja, has demanded an immediate public explanation, retraction, and unreserved apology from Engr. Kailani Mohammed over claims that the business magnate engaged in “unclean business” activities in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the 1980s.
The controversial remarks were allegedly made by Mohammed during an interview broadcast on TrustTV News on Wednesday, 17th December 2025. The businessman was responding to questions about his petition against Dr Farouk Ahmed, which had been submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
According to the letter dated 20th December 2025, Mohammed was quoted 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 when you want to monopolise, you bring allegations against people. Let him come and prove it. In the 80s, we are aware of what happened in Port Harcourt and how he got his money. Nobody came out and said all these things.”
Dr Onoja’s letter, titled “Demand for public explanation, retraction and unreserved public apology on your libellous publication against Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON,” described the statements as false, scandalous, and calculated to expose Dangote to public hatred and ridicule.
“We are solicitors to Alhaji Aliko Dangote and we write pursuant to his express instructions regarding grievously libellous statements broadcast by TrustTV News and uttered by you during an interview aired on Wednesday, 17th December, 2025,” the letter stated.
The legal document emphasised Dangote’s standing as an internationally reputable businessman. “Our client is a widely reputable international businessman. He is the richest black man on earth and he has the largest business conglomerate in Africa,” the letter noted.
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It further stated: “Our client, through dint of hard work, integrity, diligence and perseverance over the years, earned for himself the reputation and honour he is reckoned with all over the world.”
The letter accused Mohammed of portraying Dangote as “a very cruel businessman whose stock-in-trade is vendetta and a campaign of calumny to bring down others and exert monopolistic powers.”
Dangote, through his legal team, categorically denied ever conducting any business operations in Port Harcourt during the 1980s or at any other time. “Take note that our client categorically states that at no time in his life has he carried out any business, commercial activity or wealth-generating enterprise in Port Harcourt, whether in the 1980s or at any other period whatsoever as you alleged,” the letter stated.
The legal notice described Mohammed’s assertions as “entirely fictitious, unfounded, malicious and, without doubt, render you susceptible to both civil and criminal defamatory action.”
Within the seven-day deadline, Dangote has demanded that Mohammed publicly explain on the same TrustTV platform when, where, and in what capacity the business magnate was allegedly involved in any questionable activity in Port Harcourt. In the absence of verifiable facts, Mohammed must immediately retract the statements in their entirety.
Additionally, the Kaduna businessman is required to issue a full, clear, and unreserved public apology to Dangote, which must be broadcast with equal prominence as the original publication. The legal team is also demanding payment of N100 billion in damages for loss of reputation, character defamation, and public ridicule.
Mohammed is further required to provide a written undertaking to desist from making or publishing any further false or defamatory statements concerning Dangote.
The letter warned: “Be advised that allegations of this nature made without proof on a national media platform are indefensible in law and amount to a gross abuse of the right to freedom of expression, which will culminate in both civil and criminal liability.”
Should Mohammed fail to comply within the stipulated timeframe, Dangote’s legal team has indicated that they will institute legal action at a competent court of law and claim aggravated damages without further recourse.
The letter concluded with a warning that Dangote reserves the right to make a formal report against Mohammed to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution for criminal defamation.
This development comes at a time when Dangote has been in the spotlight over various business matters, including his recent petition to the ICPC. The billionaire industrialist has built his fortune through diverse investments spanning cement manufacturing, sugar refining, flour milling, and petroleum refining, with operations across several African countries.
Defamation law in Nigeria provides for both civil remedies, including damages, and criminal sanctions for individuals who make false statements that damage another person’s reputation. The N100 billion claim represents one of the largest defamation suits threatened in recent Nigerian legal history, underlining the seriousness with which Dangote’s legal team views the allegations.
