By Abidemi Samuel
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In a stunning revelation, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has exposed how the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) turned down a whopping $750 million offer from billionaire business magnate Aliko Dangote to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries in 2007. This bombshell was dropped during an exclusive interview with Channels Television, where Obasanjo shared his insights on the matter.
According to Obasanjo, Dangote had assembled a team and paid $750 million to participate in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to run the refineries. However, the NNPC, aware of its own limitations in managing the refineries, still rejected Dangote’s offer. Obasanjo’s successor reportedly refunded the money, and Obasanjo himself had a conversation with his successor about the transaction.
Obasanjo quoted himself as saying, “They wanted the refineries, and they could run them. I said, ‘But you know they cannot run it.'” This statement suggests that Obasanjo was aware of the NNPC’s inability to manage the refineries effectively.
It’s worth noting that Obasanjo served as Nigeria’s democratically elected president from May 1999 to May 2007 and as the country’s military Head of State from February 1976 to October 1979.
This revelation raises questions about the NNPC’s decision-making process and its ability to manage Nigeria’s refineries. Obasanjo’s comments also highlight the need for transparency and accountability in the country’s oil and gas sector.
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