Aisha Adole Achimugu is a popular name in Nigeria’s corridors of power, particularly in the oil and gas sector. But she became known to the majority of Nigerians on January 22, 2024, when she marked her 50th birthday in the Caribbean island of Grenada.
She logged at the Caribbean island’s resort that reportedly costs $150,000 per night and spent no less than seven days. The expensive birthday celebration may have put her in the spotlight.
Trouble Started
After the birthday, she got her “first call” from the Federal Capital Territory Revenue Service to file her tax. Though jokingly made, the call was soon followed by investigations by the Peoples Gazette and actions from anti-money laundering agencies.
On March 28, 2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared her wanted for financial criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
This came after Nigeria’s anti-graft agency had, on March 5, 2025, summoned her officially to appear at its Port Harcourt zonal office for questioning.
Instead of honouring the invitation, she flew out of the country on March 6, forcing the EFCC to secure an arrest warrant and declare her wanted for her alleged involvement in what it described as a complex money laundering scheme.
Operating 136 Bank Accounts
Following her arrest on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, documents obtained by the anti-graft agency linked her and her companies to 136 bank accounts across 10 different financial institutions, Peoples Gazette, Nigeria’s online investigative media outlet, reported.
It was reported that Mrs Achimugu had initially honoured the EFCC’s invitation on February 12, 2024. She was granted administrative bail and promised to report back, but failed to do so.
Instead, she filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against several law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, State Security Service, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
However, Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court granted the EFCC’s prayers in a ruling mandating Achimugu to appear before the anti-graft agency on Tuesday and before the court on Wednesday.
Investigations into her investments, business, and financial dealings began a few weeks after investigative online newspapers allegedly linked her as a conduit for transferring money from Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to fund Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2023 presidential election.
Her Defence
Explaining her financial transactions through her lawyer’s defence, she claimed that a particular inflow of N8.71 billion into her corporate bank accounts was an “investment fund” for the acquisition of an oil block.
She stated that one of her companies, Oceangate Engineering Oil and Gas Limited, made the fund transfer to a Federal Government account, referencing documentation from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
EFCC’s counter-affidavit showed that Aisha Achimugu acquired two oil blocks—Shallow Water PPL 3007 and Deep Offshore PPL 302-DO—for $25.3 million through one of her companies. Payments were allegedly made in cash via Bureau de Change (BDC) operators.
The EFCC says the source of the funds could not be traced to any legitimate business income or partnerships.
A Wife of a High-Ranking NNPC Staff
Aisha is the wife of former Managing Director of the Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Engr. Sulaiman Akao Achimugu, the first high-profile Nigerian to die of COVID-19 on March 3, 2020. He died just days after returning to Nigeria from the UK.
PPMC, which her husband headed, is an arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It ensures efficient transportation and marketing of crude oil and refined petroleum products to local and foreign buyers. It is also in charge of building, maintaining, and operating pipelines, storage depots, and marine transportation systems for the NNPC.
A Government Contractor
Reports say her companies have won several government contracts, including the development of a deep-sea port in South-South Nigeria.
Citizen of Grenada
She holds Grenada CBI (Citizenship by Investment). According to Global Citizen Solutions, Grenada citizenship by investment costs $235,000 for the government fund option, while applicants must pay no less than $270,000 for the real estate route, excluding other fees such as government, due diligence, and processing fees.
A Profile
Born on January 22, 1974, to the family of Capt. J.E.A. & Mrs. Adole (Rtd.), Aisha Adole-Achimugu graduated from the University of Jos in 1998, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy. She later obtained a Master’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Belize.
She also holds advanced certificates from notable institutions around the world, including Møller Institute College, University of Cambridge, and Commonwealth University, Belize—which honoured her with a Doctorate Degree.
Aisha Achimugu controls at least eight known multi-billion naira companies, including:
- Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited
- Felak Concept Limited
- Koncept Digital Integrated Services
- Ay-Dol International
- Skills and Career Support Centre
- Altex Engineering Services Limited
- SAM Empowerment Foundation (CSR)
She has more than 20 national and international award plaques on her shelves, including the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), awarded to her in 2023. She runs not-for-profit organisations in Nigeria and Grenada, helping the needy.