Business
ALSCON: Nigeria’s case of self-inflicted economic sabotage?
By Yemie ADEOYE
“I am the greatest obstacle to my greatest dreams.”
–Craig D. Lounsbrough
LAGOS-THE Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, popularly called ALSCON, is Unarguably one of the largest Aluminium smeltering company ever to be sited on the continent of Africa, and also unarguably one of the most strategically located on the planet.
With the proximity of this plant to neighboring African countries around the Gulf of Guinea like Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome, it can be easily seen that this plant would be an economic booster to Nigeria.
Nigeria’s financial loss to the controversy
The plant was designed to produce 193,000 tons of Aluminium annually at optimal capacity. As at 1997, a ton of Aluminium was sold at 3000USD. What this means is that at full capacity ALSCON was designed to generate approximately 600 million USD annually.
However with the current market price of about US$2,108 per metric ton according to Statista, the plant will be generating a minimum of US$406,844,000 per year, and with a good well structured and business inclined management, the company is capable of generating about a billion dollars annually in the very near future. Sadly, since this bid happened 16 years ago, Nigeria has not generated a dime from ALSCON, thereby defeating the sole essence of the bid process.
President Muhammadu Buhari
Chief Justice of Nigeria Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad
The controversy that has surrounded and grounded the activities of this huge economic infrastructure is preposterous, unimaginable for an economy begging for investments and could at best be described as a self-inflicted economic sabotage.
Nigeria goes cap in hand to china, IMF, world Bank, Paris Club and any other institution or country that has capacity to spare a loan, while it continues to systemically and installmentally destroy its money-generating infrastructures. How can this ever be rationalized?
A brief history of the controversy
- In 2004, the Bureau of Public enterprise, BPE called for bids from interested investors willing to purchase the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria, ALSCON in Ikot-Abasi, Akwa-Ibom state, south-south Nigeria.
- The American BFI Group led by a Nigerian-American professional, Dr. Reuben Jaja also came down to Nigeria to Bid for the aluminum smelting plant and emerged the winner, after putting up a bid of $410 million.
- Surprisingly and under controversial circumstances, the BFIG, which was declared winner was not handed the needed documents by Government in order to proceed to the payment stage, and the Russian company, UC Rusal which came second during the bid with a far lesser bid of about $250 million was handed the share purchased agreement, SPA, with all the agreed annexures which would make the plant a successful investment. This allegedly happened under seemingly shady and very controversial circumstances.
- The BFIG immediately went to court to seek redress. The Group lost at the high court and moved to the appeals court, it again lost the case and moved to the Supreme Court where it finally got judgment in its favour in 2012. The judgment was unanimous by all five justices of the apex court.
- Since receiving the Supreme Court judgment in 2012, the BPE has refused to honour the judgment of the court, and in the last eight years since the judgment, the BFIG has gone back to court severally to enforce the Supreme Court judgment, which is in its favour. This culminated in the federal court judgment of December 17, 2019 instructing the BPE to comply with the judgment of the Supreme Court and hand over the SPA to the BFI Group according to the Supreme Court judgment of 2012. The federal high court went further to order the remand of the Director General of the BPE in prison custody for 30 days as a deterrent and for his failure to honour the Supreme Court judgment.
NASS
Director General of the BPE, Alex Okoh
Dr. Reuben Jaja, President of the BFI Group
In 2005, the senate committee on commercialization and privatization issued an order rebuking the presidency for revoking the bid and selling to the Russians at a reduced price, and described the conduct of the presidency as “fraud and corruption against the nation”
The House of Representatives issued another order in 2015 demanding that the Share Purchase Agreement, SPA, which is the bone of contention, should be handed over to the BFIG with all the 17 annexures included in it. In all the BFIG says it has four orders of the national assembly in its favour and saying almost the same thing, why isn’t anyone listening for sixteen years?
Sixteen years of litigation has gone by between the Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE, and the preferred winner of the bid, the BFI Group, with all the courts of the land, including the Supreme Court sticking to one narrative, which is that the BPE should hand over all relevant and necessary documents to the BFIG, which must include the annexures in order for the group to effect the 10 percent payment according to the laws.
Now, how difficult could it be to obey the rule of law, which governs every normal society? This writer has sighted several documents including court judgments, which alludes to the fact that there is a duly orchestrated strategy to undermine the judiciary of this country and bring it to ridicule before every prospective investors around the world, thereby undermining the national economy of this great nation.
Nigeria’s current reality
Currently, Nigeria is ranking in the negative on all developmental indices. With over 10 million out of school children scattered all over the country. Also ranking as the “poverty capital of the world, it is said that if the country is unable to change its current trajectory, it will be home to 110 million people living in extreme poverty by the year 2030, as against the 90 million people currently in that state of life.
How can a country with such liability amidst infrastructure deficits afford to treat foreign investors who are here to help lift its economy with such disdain and wickedness? What message does this protracted anomaly send to the international community, investor nations and organizations and even to us as a nation?
Now the plant, which was at 30 percent production capacity, is currently down to a paltry 5 percent. The staff strength, which was over 800 about 15 years ago, is now abysmally down to less than 30 people. A company that was valued at about US$1.5 billion has been devalued to around US$100 million dollars according to the KPMG audited financial reports.
The BFI Group
This group is not just an American group with interest in treating a Nigerian infrastructure as the Russians currently do, but a Nigerian professional leads it with deep roots to this country, as the great grandson of the famous king Jaja of Opobo Kingdom in present day Rivers state and with very towering global attainments, especially in the United States of America where he worked with several organizations including the United States federal reserve Bank. e was a lead banking law enforcement participant on various delegations including the U.S. Financial Institution Experts delegation to the Republics of Russia and Hungary.
The gentleman is an asset to Nigeria if only we can recognize one when we see it, and his biggest problem is probably his inability to transact business in the Nigerian. When asked he has said severally that the Group is guided by the foreign corrupt Practices Act of the United States.
After seeing several interviews granted by the president of the BFI group, Dr. Reuben Jaja, including the one he had on the Energie Platform radio show, it does not only leaves much to be desired, but makes it very difficult to decipher how we intentionally shoot ourselves in the foot by making very simple issues become so knotty and difficult.
There is a Supreme Court Judgment issued and written in English. The judgment was very clear, and one wonders how such a judgment can be so flagrantly disregarded by an agency of government without any form of reprimand or call to order? Either by the presidency or the Attorney General of the federation, especially as the agency in question, the BPE, is under the presidency. This sad development can only tarnish the country’s image before the international community and prospective investor nations and organizations if allowed to continue unchecked.
The President of the BFIG made it clear on national television with documents to show, that he and his group have always been ready and willing to pay for this plant as stipulated by law, all they seek from the BPE is the sixteen page share purchase agreement, SPA with the 17 annexures inclusive as directed by the courts, and the moment this duly signed document is handed to the group, they will proceed to comply with the stipulated 2 weeks for payment.
According to him, since the take over of the Plant by the Russian UC Russal, they have continued to strip off the valued assets of the plant and have been intercepted on occasions by the Nigerian Army, which handed over the accosted four trucks to the Nigerian police, all filled with valued assets of the plants.
It is worthy of note that this exact scenario played out in Ajaokuta steel plant when the Indian company, GINL was in charge of the plant. It is on record that the villagers accosted the officials of the company while attempting to cart away assets of the steel plant.
Unanswered Questions
The questions now begging for answers are: what is the offence of the BFIG after it paid the requisite US$1 million expression of interest fee and went ahead to win the bid?
Why is it so difficult to hand over the requested documents even after the pronouncement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which is final on all litigations and cannot be appealed?
Could this be the case in a true democracy and in an egalitarian society?
Who is afraid of the BFIG? What does this say about our integrity as a nation?
If the BPE is right and justified in this case, why will the federal High court Abuja commit the Director General of the BPE, Mr. Alex Okoh to a 30-days jail sentence in December of 2019 for failing to comply with the supreme court judgment?
What is the supposed role of the National Assembly in this case of gross economic sabotage on the nation?
What is the role of the presidency, the Inspector General of police, and the Attorney General of the federation and minister of justice under whose watch a unanimous judgment of the Supreme Court is being so flagrantly disobeyed and disregarded by an agency of government?
Nigeria’s past experiences with notable investors
This attitude to foreign investors, especially the ones we invite into our country for economic reasons must stop for image sake, and for the sake of all we hold dear as a nation.
Since the return to civil rule about 20 years ago, Nigeria has had some very sad, but notable experiences with foreign investors, which has not been helpful to our image as a nation.
First it was Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin group, which entered into a partnership with the country to form the Virgin Nigeria Airline, his views about Nigeria after the crash of this partnership is quite sad and a very terrible blow to the Nigerian brand.
We also recall the Ajaokuta steel plant controversy. A major economic booster for Nigeria, which was allowed to rot away even at 98 percent completion. We gave it to the Indian company, GINL, but of course, it also landed in the courts for litigation, even as the federal government seems to be at the receiving end, begging for renegotiations and out of court settlement, as the state of the plant remains moribund!
Very recently, the case of P&ID emerged and has continued to embarrass Nigeria internationally as that supposed economically viable partnership has also gone up in flames and gone from arbitration to litigation in far away United Kingdom.
Now, we have the BFIG in our courts for sixteen whole years. That is a lifetime! It is enough time to revamp and rebuild the entire infrastructure of Nigeria. What sort of nation are we building? Can we really lay claim to a civil society if court orders are shabbily treated with this sort of flagrant disregard even for a judgment of the highest court of the land?
I seize this opportunity and moment to call on Mr. President, the National Assembly and the inspector General of Police, The Attorney General and minister of Justice to grant this issue the attention that it deserves and require. It is a case of monumental national importance, as the image and integrity of our nation is on the line.
Dangote Cement Plc, a leading cement manufacturer, has donated multi-million Naira educational support projects to secondary schools in Lagos as part of its social investment initiatives.
The company in a statement explained that the move is aimed at complementing the government’s efforts in providing quality and sustainable education in the state.
It was gathered that the projects were commissioned and handed over to various schools in the Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area, align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on education. These goals focus on ensuring inclusive, equitable, and quality education, as well as promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
The projects, warmly received by both teachers and students, include 100 dual school desks for Ilado Community Junior High School and Wahab Folawiyo Senior High School, alongside a refurbished and fully equipped Chemistry Laboratory at the Government Senior Secondary School, Ikoyi.
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Also donated were reading tables, chairs, and bookshelves for the library at Government Junior Secondary School, Ikoyi.
A celebration also took place at Falomo Junior High School and Ireti Senior Grammar School, both in Ikoyi, where the company donated 20 brand-new desktop computers to the ICT departments of the schools.
At the event at Government Junior College, Ikoyi, the Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Arvind Pathak, explained that social investment is a key part of Dangote Cement’s operations.
He said the company is dedicated to giving back to society and supporting the sustainable development of local communities, especially in areas where it operates.
Pathak’s address was delivered by Wakeel Olayiwola, the Head of Social Performance at Dangote Cement Plc.
He said, “education holds a pivotal role in the development and empowerment of the youths in the country. As a cornerstone for societal advancement, it serves as a critical tool for personal growth, economic development, and national progress. An educated youth population not only fosters individual success but also contributes significantly to the nation’s overall wellbeing.
“At Dangote Cement, we believe that providing quality education to our youth is vital and should not be left solely as the government’s responsibility. Thus, we aim to partner with the government to enhance educational development in this regard.
“The projects we are handing over today are part of our 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for selected schools within the neighbourhood of Dangote Cement Plc’s Head Office in Ikoyi, Lagos. These projects were selected based on need assessments in collaboration with the schools.”
As a responsible corporate entity, Pathak noted that Dangote Cement’s commitment to societal wellbeing, with investments in four key areas: Education, Healthcare, Infrastructure, and Economic Empowerment programmes.
“This year, our plants in Ibese, Ogun State; Obajana, Kogi State; Gboko, Benue State; Okpella, Edo State; and our Pan-African operations have launched several social investment projects. These efforts contribute to the quality of life in our host communities and support sustainable national development,” he added.
Pathak thanked the Lagos State Government, the Tutor General/Permanent Secretary, and the school management teams for their collaboration in identifying the schools’ needs and ensuring the timely completion of the projects.
Dr. Idowu Olufunke Oyetola, Tutor General and Permanent Secretary of Education District 3, Lagos State Ministry of Education, who was represented by Bolaji Rotimi Ajayi, Director of School Administration, praised the long-standing partnership with Dangote Cement, noting that the schools selected for the donations were fortunate beneficiaries. “We hope for more collaborations that will positively impact education,” she added.
The principals of the recipient schools expressed their gratitude after the formal handover of the projects.
Odunlami Olubunmi, Principal of Ilado Community Junior High School, Ikoyi, thanked Dangote Cement for the new desks, stating that the donation would significantly improve the learning environment for the students, helping to prepare them for a brighter future.
Bamidele Ayotunde, Principal of the school with the refurbished laboratory, urged other businesses to follow Dangote Cement’s example in supporting local schools, pointing out the positive impact of the laboratory’s renovation on the school’s learning environment.
The Principal of Ireti Senior Grammar School, Ikoyi, whose school received the new desktop computers, described the donation as a positive development and expressed hope for more support in the future.
Pupils also shared their appreciation for the contributions. Abiola Jamaudeen, a lab prefect at Government Senior College, Ikoyi, promised that the laboratory would be used to its fullest potential and well-maintained.
Lawal Rumayzo Abdulsalam, a student at the school, said the new library equipment would foster better reading habits and create a more conducive environment for learning, ultimately preparing them for success. Some students even performed special songs to welcome the Dangote team to their schools.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has celebrated the local content achievements of his administration, claiming it has transformed the state’s economy and strengthened local businesses.
The Governor, represented by his Deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, made this declaration at the 2024 Trade Fair of the Osun State Chamber of Commerce and Industry held at the Trade Fair Complex, Osogbo.
This year’s fair is themed “Developing Osun Local Content Value Chain for Shared Prosperity”.
Gov Adeleke, reviewing his records on local content in the last two years, expressed pride to announce that his administration had set an unrivaled record in the promotion and commitment to local content development.
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According to Gov Adeleke, “our major infrastructural projects are being handled by local contractors. We are building up our indigenous companies to handle major jobs outside the state. Our local engineers are fully engaged in all facets of the construction processes. Our supply chain feeding the construction processes is also locally focussed and sourced.
“As local content is a tool for economic development, our multi billion naira infra plan has a focus beyond Osun money revolving within the Osun economy. We seek to stop capital flights, thereby ensuring a financially vibrant local economy that contributes to the fight against poverty and underdevelopment.
“Beyond a solvent grassroots economy, our policy ensures skill transfer. Local workers are empowered with requisite skills which they subsequently deploy as skilled service providers. We are building a pool of skilled citizens across all sectors.
“Additionally, our local content agenda is a strategy for employment creation. By adopting direct labour in many project executions, we provide jobs for the artisans and the unemployed. Osun is indeed a huge construction site with increasing job opportunities for the unemployed.
“Local content as a state strategy also drives our focus on infra growth and development. We are eager to bridge the infrastructure deficit to enhance trade and investment. We have recorded huge progress in that respect.
“Our administration is also removing possible bottlenecks in business operations in Osun state. The processing of Certificates of Occupancy is now within a 45-day window. This is billed to enhance business capacity to attract financial transactions and support within the business ecosystem.
“The era of multiple taxation is coming to an end as Osun state has now introduced a harmonized tax system. Our tax agency has become truly business friendly.
“To facilitate investment, we revive and strengthen the Osun State Investment Promotion Agency (OSIPA). The agency puts under one roof all regulatory and certification agencies of the Government.
“To accelerate the pace of industrialization, we revive the Free Trade Zone to provide over one million direct and indirect jobs for the people. We establish Markets with modern facilities, set up farm produce aggregation centres, and put life into moribund industries among others.
“The State Government recently hosted an Industrial Investment Summit. The event attracted local and international investors. While the current industrial policy is being vigorously implemented, we plan to review the policy to accommodate new realities occasioned by modern innovations and Artificial Intelligence.”
While restating his administration’s readiness to partner with the organized private sector, Gov Adeleke urged the business chamber to expand its scope, calling on the business leaders to reach out within and outside Nigeria for the development of businesses in Osun state.
“As the voice of Osun business, you are not a government agency. You represent the private sector. Your task is to expand your scope and mobilize businesses to grow as an umbrella body. I task you to interact with all sectors of the state economy. You have a duty to shake off bureaucratic burden and truly act like a private sector body”, the Governor charged the chamber.
The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Rev Bunmi Jenyo listed out several programmes and policies of the state government designed to support growth and development of businesses in Osun state, declaring that Osun is open for business.
According to the Commissioner, the recent industrial investment summit showcased the huge potentials of the state and expressed delight at the huge number of investors who showed up and expressed interest to tap into the investment potentials of Osun State.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approached the National Assembly for approval of a fresh external borrowing plan totaling ₦1.767 trillion.
The loan, if approved, will help finance the ₦9.7 trillion deficit in the 2024 budget.
The request was presented during Tuesday’s plenary by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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Alongside the loan request, the president also submitted the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) for 2025–2027.
Additionally, Tinubu proposed amendments to the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) establishment bill, aiming to make the national social register the central tool for delivering federal welfare programs.
Debt Servicing Costs Skyrocket in 2024
Nigeria’s rising debt obligations have been brought into sharp focus with new data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The country spent $3.58 billion servicing foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024, marking a 39.77% increase from the $2.56 billion recorded during the same period in 2023.
May 2024 saw the highest monthly debt servicing payment at $854.37 million, a staggering 286.52% increase compared to May 2023.
The surge in debt servicing costs reflects a sharp depreciation of the naira, which weakened from ₦899.39/$1 in December 2023 to ₦1,470.19/$1 by June 2024.
Experts warn that the rising exchange rate and escalating international debt obligations place significant pressure on Nigeria’s fiscal sustainability.
State Debts Climb to ₦11.47tn by Mid-2024
The debt profiles of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have continued to rise, reaching ₦11.47 trillion as of June 30, 2024.
This marks a 14.57% increase from ₦10.01 trillion in December 2023, according to data from the Debt Management Office (DMO).
External debt for states and the FCT climbed from $4.61 billion to $4.89 billion during this period.
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However, domestic debt decreased from ₦5.86 trillion to ₦4.27 trillion. Lagos State remained the most indebted in foreign currency terms, holding 26.9% of the total external debt, valued at $1.24 billion.
In naira terms, state debts rose by 73.46%, reflecting the impact of the naira’s devaluation on repayment obligations.
States Overly Dependent on Federal Allocations
A BudgIT report on fiscal sustainability has revealed that 32 out of 36 states relied on Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) transfers for at least 55% of their revenue in 2023.
Fourteen states were even more dependent, deriving over 70% of their revenue from FAAC allocations.
FAAC disbursements increased by 33.19% in 2023, reaching ₦5.4 trillion, contributing significantly to the total combined state revenue of ₦8.66 trillion for the year.
However, analysts have raised concerns over this heavy dependence on oil-driven federal allocations, warning of the financial risks posed by crude oil price shocks.
Lagos and Ogun States were exceptions, generating significant revenue internally and relying less on federal transfers.
Economic Implications
The federal and state governments’ growing reliance on borrowing and federal allocations signals deep fiscal challenges.
Analysts caution that President Tinubu’s proposed borrowing plan, combined with rising debt servicing costs and exchange rate pressures, may exacerbate Nigeria’s economic vulnerability.
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