Hadiza Bala Usman, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and current Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Coordination, has refuted allegations made by Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, regarding the termination of BUA’s concession at Rivers Port. Rabiu claimed that the NPA abruptly revoked BUA’s concession without prior notice, suggesting the decision was made to favor an associate of the former port chief.
In response, Usman labeled Rabiu’s assertions as “barefaced lies,” emphasizing that BUA had received multiple warnings about its failure to fulfill contractual obligations, including the required reconstruction of Berths 5-8, which was to commence within 90 days of the 2006 concession agreement. Despite a decade of operations, BUA had not initiated the mandated rehabilitation, leading to a notice of default in February 2016, prior to Usman’s tenure. Further notices were issued during her leadership, culminating in a termination notice in November 2016.
Usman also alleged that Rabiu leveraged his access to former President Muhammadu Buhari to influence decisions in BUA’s favor, actions she claims compromised the integrity of the port’s infrastructure and violated contractual terms. She maintained that the NPA adhered to legal processes, including complying with a restraining order obtained by BUA in January 2018, which barred the authority from enforcing the termination.
