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.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has honoured 14 of its retired employees for their contributions to the growth and development of local content in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The retirees were honoured at a celebration dinner held on Sunday at the Conference Centre of the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The event also provided an opportunity for former management staff of the board to reflect on the challenges surrounding the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, and the progress recorded since its enactment.
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Speaking at the ceremony, a former Director of Legal Services, Mohammed Umar, said the implementation of the Act was initially met with resistance from major players in the oil and gas industry.
Umar said the board had to deploy tact and sustained engagement to convince industry operators of the benefits of complying with the local content law.
“Local content was new in the oil and gas sector. Companies were hardly cooperative, and tact was required to create understanding and compliance with the provisions of the Act,” he said.
He noted that local content had grown from about five per cent in 2010 to 61 per cent, describing the development as a major achievement.
“Local content has come to stay. Many other African countries now come to Nigeria to learn the secret of the country’s success,” Umar stated.
He urged serving employees of the board to remain committed and give their best to sustain the progress recorded in local content development.
Another retiree, Daziba Obah, who served as pioneer Director of Planning, Research and Statistics and later as Acting Executive Secretary of NCDMB, recalled the challenges encountered during the construction of the 17-storey Nigerian Content Tower.
Obah also spoke about the early challenges of funding research and development projects, noting that the board eventually demonstrated its capacity by successfully organising its maiden Research and Development Fair and Conference in Lagos in 2017.
Similarly, a former Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Isaac Yalah, described NCDMB as an institution that provides staff with the tools and training required to excel.
He said the $350m Nigerian Content Intervention Fund had significantly boosted the participation of indigenous companies in the oil and gas sector.
“The Nigerian Content Intervention Fund was a game changer with regard to indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry,” Yalah said.
He added that several Nigerian service companies accessed the fund at single-digit interest rates to acquire assets and expand their operations.
Yalah urged serving staff to continue learning and remain focused on taking the board to greater heights.
Also speaking, former General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination, Dr Ginah Ginah, described his years at NCDMB as “very exciting times.”
Ginah said the board’s training programmes contributed significantly to staff development, while its establishment of Information and Communication Technology centres helped promote digital awareness among young people in oil-producing communities.
Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Esueme Kikile, said the event was organised to honour men and women who had dedicated significant portions of their professional lives to the service of the board.
Kikile said the retirees contributed not only through their official responsibilities but also by mentoring colleagues, sharing knowledge and building institutional relationships.
He said, “Their contributions extended beyond the duties associated with their respective positions, as they shared knowledge, built relationships, mentored colleagues and contributed to the institutional experience that continues to shape the Board today.”
Kikile, on behalf of the management and staff of NCDMB, wished the retirees good health, peace, happiness and fulfilment in their retirement.
The ceremony also featured testimonials from serving staff who had worked closely with the retirees, including former technical assistants.
The speakers recalled the mentorship, professional guidance and support they received from the retirees during their years of service.
The event ended with a dance session by the retirees and a cultural performance, providing an opportunity for former and serving staff to interact in a relaxed atmosphere.
Other retirees honoured included Dr Ama Ikuru, Adelana Akintunde, Dr Obinna Ofili, Angela Okoro, Taridouye Gagariga, Ombu Atonbara, Okpetu Gabriel and Peter Isu Odo.
Courtesy – The PUNCH
Nigeria’s public debt has climbed to ₦166.79 trillion as of June 30, 2026, with financial analyst and Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, warning that the country’s debt burden is approaching the 40 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) limit.
Rewane raised concerns over the increasing debt burden, stressing that the key issue is not simply the amount Nigeria owes but what the borrowed funds have been used to achieve.
“There is a fiscal responsibility that says we shouldn’t exceed 40% of GDP, ₦166 trillion is the limit,” Rewane said.
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“The question is not how much the debt is, it is what have you used the debt to acquire? We haven’t seen any corresponding increase in productivity yet and there is a cost of living and affordability crisis.”
He also warned that Nigeria’s debt per capita was already high and could not continue rising indefinitely.
“Nigeria’s debt per head is very high and cannot increase further,” he added.
The comments come as the latest figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), as reported by Business A.M, showed that Nigeria’s public debt increased by ₦79.41 trillion in three years, rising from ₦87.38 trillion in June 2023 to ₦166.79 trillion by June 2026.
The latest figure represents a 90.9 per cent increase in the country’s public debt stock since June 2023.
On a year-on-year basis, public debt increased by ₦14.39 trillion, or 9.4 per cent, from ₦152.40 trillion in June 2025. It also rose by ₦7.44 trillion, or 4.7 per cent, from ₦159.35 trillion recorded in March 2026.
According to the report, domestic debt stood at ₦91.59 trillion, representing 54.91 per cent of total public debt, while external debt amounted to ₦75.20 trillion, or 45.09 per cent.
The Federal Government accounted for ₦152.77 trillion, representing about 91.6 per cent of the total public debt, while states and the Federal Capital Territory accounted for the remaining ₦14.01 trillion.
The rising debt stock has also been accompanied by increasing debt-servicing costs.
Federal Government domestic debt service rose to ₦3.14 trillion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with ₦2.61 trillion in the corresponding period of 2025.
Interest payments accounted for most of the increase, rising by 25.4 per cent to ₦2.97 trillion during the period.
Rewane’s comments therefore place renewed focus on the economic returns from government borrowing, particularly whether borrowed funds are translating into higher productivity, stronger revenues and expanded productive capacity.
The concern has also been raised by other Nigerian economists and financial analysts, who have argued that borrowing should be linked to projects capable of generating economic returns and strengthening the government’s capacity to repay its obligations.
Kenyan President, William Samoei Ruto has described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) as “a masterpiece of science, engineering and art”.
He made the declaration following a tour of the world-class facility in Lagos, while reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to partnering with the Dangote Group on the proposed $17 billion East African Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Lamu.
President Ruto visited the refinery after attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), noted that witnessing firsthand the scale, sophistication and operational excellence of the 700,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery had strengthened his confidence in the East African refinery project.
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“Coming here and seeing it for myself, I can confirm that I have seen a masterpiece of science, engineering, and art. To my brother Aliko, congratulations. I always knew Nigerians to be very brave people and go-getters, but I did not anticipate that it was at this scale,” President Ruto said.
The Kenyan leader disclosed that preparations had been concluded for the ground-breaking ceremony of the East African refinery project in Lamu, which is expected to become a strategic regional asset for East Africa.
According to him, the refinery will drive industrialisation, create jobs, strengthen engineering and technical capacity, enhance energy security and promote regional economic integration.
“This is not a Kenyan refinery; it is going to be a regional refinery. We are positioning our continent as an emerging growth centre, and this project will help accelerate industrialisation, create jobs, enhance engineering capabilities and strengthen Africa’s economic competitiveness,” he stated bureaucratic bottlenecks to ensure efficient project execution.
“The Government of Kenya is 100 percent behind this project. We have secured the required land and are working to ensure that we spend our time building rather than navigating administrative delays,” he said.
The President further commended the leadership and commitment of Dangote Group President and Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote, highlighting his deep understanding of the refinery’s technical and operational processes.
“The detail with which Aliko Dangote understands this plant is remarkable. Unless you understand the details, you are unable to make the right decisions. That commitment to excellence is one of the reasons behind the success of this project,” he added.
Dangote Group’s Chief Strategy Officer, Aliyu Suleiman, disclosed, during the visit that the conglomerate generated approximately $17 billion in revenue during the first half of 2026 and is on course to achieve a record $36 billion in revenue for the full year, representing a 100 per cent increase over the $18 billion recorded in 2025.
“The revenues of the Group have grown significantly over the last five years. From $18 billion last year, we are on track to get to $36 billion this year. Our half-year revenue is already about $17 billion,” Suleiman said.
He attributed the strong performance to sustained investments across key sectors, including cement, sugar, fertiliser, petroleum refining, upstream oil and gas, and other strategic businesses.
Suleiman noted that Dangote Group’s growth ambitions are anchored on its Vision 2030 Strategy, aimed at expanding the company’s industrial footprint across Africa and creating globally competitive businesses on the continent.
“Between 2020 and 2025, the Group executed a capital expenditure programme of approximately $50 billion. Over the next five years, we intend to invest twice that amount as we accelerate our expansion across Africa,” he stated.
Suleiman emphasised that the proposed 700,000 barrels-per-day greenfield refinery and petrochemical complex in Lamu, estimated at approximately $17 billion, will be a cornerstone of the Group’s ambition to build a $100 billion African industrial enterprise.
“The East African refinery in Kenya is going to be a key component of our journey and our dream to get to $100 billion. It is going to be a major contributor,” he said.
He added that Dangote Group’s expansion plans span a broad range of sectors, including port infrastructure, gas infrastructure, LNG, upstream oil and gas, power generation, mining and other strategic industrial investments across Africa.
As part of preparations for the project, Dangote Group has signed a contract worth more than $450 million with Engineers India Limited (EIL) to provide project management consultancy and engineering, procurement and construction management services for the Lamu refinery and petrochemical complex.
The partnership builds on EIL’s experience and involvement in the successful development of the DPRP in Lagos. Once completed, the East African refinery is expected to process 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, strengthening regional energy security and supporting industrial development across East Africa.
The Dangote Group is also progressing plans to expand the processing capacity of the DPRP in Nigeria from 700,000 barrels per day to approximately 1.4 million barrels per day through the addition of a new 750,000 barrels-per-day crude distillation unit.
The expansion is expected to further solidify Nigeria’s position as a leading exporter of refined petroleum products and enhance Africa’s energy self-sufficiency.
President Ruto’s visit and Dangote Group’s ambitious growth plans highlight the increasing impact of African-led investments in driving the continent’s industrial renaissance.
With record revenue growth, a robust investment pipeline, expansion of refining capacity in Nigeria and the planned development of the East African Oil Refinery in Kenya, Dangote Group is reinforcing its role as a key driver of Africa’s economic transformation, energy security, industrial development and regional integration.
Photo Caption: From Left – Kenya President, Dr. William Samoel Ruto; Group Vice President, Oil & Gas and Fertiliser, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin; and President/CE, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote during the Kenya President’s Visit to Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Petrochemicals and Fertiliser Plant Lekki, Lagos on Friday 25th September 2026.
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