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I rejected a multi-million naira job to follow the call of God – Prof. Dele Braimoh
Published
8 years agoon

For many, the challenges of life vary and those who are strong to overcome the obstacles on the road to success and stardom would surely go through rigours. One man who never believed he could attain the height he found himself today is Professor Dele Braimoh. First, he never had the normal educational attainment that could qualify someone as a professor and second, he never knew he was being prepared by the Almighty God. Armed with dexterity and deep passion for education, Prof. Braimoh was able to acquire some level of education by divine means. He worked assiduously in the university after bagging his masters and Phd degrees. His foray into Christendom was also by divine intervention. He was a parish pastor at the RCCG after working as a photographer, typist and radio mechanic. It was during his time at the RCCG that he was called by God to found the Cornerstone Revival Church which today is making waves in South Africa, winning many souls and changing the face of Christianity across the country and beyond. He spoke with Sahara Weekly about himself, his relationship with God, his wife and the ministry. Enjoy reading.
Interestingly sir, you are a professor and also a pastor, can you tell us how the journey began?
It has been a very wonderful journey, when I tell people that it is just by the grace of God that I became a pastor, I have been a professor for about 25years and I have thought in many universities in Africa for about 35 years but the journey was rough, I never had any basic education, I never went to the secondary school for a day, I read at home through the extra-moral studies at the University of Ibadan and I did my advance level on my own before I went to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where I had my first degree and then later to the University of Ibadan for my Masters. I finished my Phd in 1986, that is about 31 years ago. Well, it has not been easy, going by that background, it was rough especially coming from a polygamous family, I never had the advantage of going to school apart from when I had the primary school education and then the modern school In those days, I was on my own but I thank God today for seeing me through not because I was clever than anybody, I love education and I had to do it on my own having learnt photography, typing and shorthand, radio mechanic, those were the things I did before I went to the university but I thank God today that after teaching for 35 years in the university, though I got born again in between and then I joined the whole process of being a parish pastor under RCCG and then also teaching but eventually when God called me out to start the CORNERSTONE REVIVAL CHURCH in Pretoria, South AFrica and then working in Universities across Nigeria and Lesotho in South Africa, I eventually retired as a UNESCO Chair of Open and distance learning at the University of South Africa, I retired in 2012 and since then, I went into full time ministry, it has not been easy, if not for God, it would not have been anything that we are seeing but it has been a pleasant, fascinating journey especially now as a servant of God because I used to tell people in those days University of Ibadan and Lesotho University used to be my employers but right now, Jesus Christ is my employer.
You said you never attended a secondary school, what was your driving force?
It was not just by choice, it was by force. I used to be a departmental secretary at the Department of Theatre art at the University of Ibadan, my professor used to be Late Prof. Yinka Adedeji, he was a very hardworking man. I used to think I had everything because I read my O’levels at home so I was very content but I was overseeing typist, drivers, synographers, so I thought I had arrived until one day I was trying to type an examination question and two boys and two girls came in despite the fact that I wrote at the entrance of the office that it is out of bound for students, but they just ignored it and they came in, I asked if they were students of the department and they said yes, I said they should have read the notice on the door and they said and so what? They laughed and they said ‘You this bloody typist’, I seriously cried, because of the fact that I never went to secondary school, I never thought somebody who never went to secondary school could ever make it so when my professor came back, I went to report to him, I got their names then, he apologized and asked to tell me two things, he said unfortunately, he cannot tell them to apologize to me and that they are undergraduates, leaders of Nigeria’s tomorrow and they are studying for examination and therefore, I shouldn’t expect them to come and apologize because there are many things going on in their brains, so if they are the leaders of tomorrow, it means I’m the messenger of tomorrow, he said I should take it as one of the hazards of my professional calling, it’s very belittling for him to ask them to come and apologize to me, I wept and made up my mind to see what is going on in the heads of people in the university, and also aspire to be an undergraduate. That year, I registered for my A’Levels, I went to school, met some of my friends in the University to recommend books for me and be my supervisor. In fairness, I thought I had arrived but thank God today, I told Prof. Adedeji after I got admission, I wrote Economics and Government, I had A in Economics and B in government giving me 9 points so that was how I applied to many universities, God answered my prayer, I had admission into many universities but I chose UNILAG to read Mass communication, if not for those boys and girls, I would have been old and tired now. I thought I had arrived until they showed me I was nothing. When I finished my first degree, I returned to the University of Ibadan for my masters so that they will not think I have gone to buy certificate for the number of years I went for my advanced level, I did my masters in the same department and also served as a Youth Corper in the same department, teaching, eventually I did my masters in education and when I finished, they said they have never seen anyone like me, combining Mass Communications with education and they wanted somebody in that position, except I wanted to go for my PHd, they would immediately absorb me so I started as an Assistant, then as a lecturer, and I started to rise until I left Nigeria in the 1990s.
This is quite inspiring, how did you feel when you became a graduate?
I cried, I did not cry bitterly until I had my Phd because my father who had six wives, unfortunately he is late now, never saw any value in education, and when Prof Onabanjo was the then VC of University of Ibadan when he was conferring the doctoral degree on few of us, I cried having a handshake with him because I just thought what kind of Journey have I made from having no secondary education, for being a typist, photographer, radio Mechanic now calling me doctor Dele, it amazes me, this is why I say to the young ones except there is no determination, that is when you can not achieve, I tell people not to say the sky is the limit, beyond the sky is the limit because if without educational foundation, I could still go for the Phd, in fairness I believe there is nothing one cannot achieve with determination. The driving force was that I want to achieve this to make myself unique among my family members and after everything, I and Professor Adedeji were both sitting at the senate and I use to query him on certain things when he makes comment because he has a Phd and I had Phd too though he was a professor but I was not a professor yet so he said he’s not surprised because he knows I can always achieve something, maybe he is the one God used to propel me, that was my driving force
Redeemed GO, Pastor Adeboye once said something that his dream or aspiration is to be a Vice Chancellor and it is so obvious that you have the same passion, what was your dream educationally before you came into the ministry?
I wanted to aspire to become a Vice Chancellor but luckily I was a sub-dean as they call it in Nigeria at the faculty of education because my dean used to be a travelling dean so I used to be in charge of everything so I was thinking not to become a dean since I was a sub-dean already, but then I was thinking of becoming a vice chancellor of any university just to tell them I got to that level with my kind of educational background, in the long last, I thought it was a dream I have pursued earnestly but when the calling even with this one to have become a UNESCO Chairman of a University in a foreign land and I have travelled to over 32 countries of the world because of my position so I thought one day I must be a vice chancellor but God said I’m wasting my time, it was a drastic U-Turn I never knew though I was working until God said he needed me, I thought I was working as a pastor and as an academician but when prophecies kept coming including the prophecy of Brother Iginla who said I am in the wrong field and also Daddy Adeboye said the same thing that is it because I’m a professor and that is why I didn’t want to answer God’s call but I said I’m answering God because I was doing it as a part time then but now God called me and gave me the name of the ministry, it has been a very wonderful thing. I think I couldn’t be fulfilled than what I’m experiencing now, I have touched lives, evangelized, and God is doing a bit of His miracles to heal, change the destinies of people through prayer in our church, we are young but we are going gradually, so it is a very super accomplishment for me. I don’t even see the title of being a professor as more rewarding to me than when they said Pastor, and this is why some people call me Mr. Double P.
How would you describe the transition from the academics to the ministry?
It was originally complementary because you as a professor in the university, you are a parrot, you talk but on top of that, the reality is that with the ministry, you are also a parrot because you preach, the only thing you add to it is winning of souls for God and you do it passionately, I was prepared from being an academic to answer the call of God, it was an easy thing for me because I was talking all along and it has become part and parcel of my life, I can stand in class for hours ministering to people is no longer a problem, except that you are not talking about academics but when you dish out some points in the Bible, you must be able to convince people so I see it as a complementary effort and therefore to be able to move to the other side wasn’t a problem for me.
Lets talk about the ministry now, what makes your ministry unique?
Well, it is unique in the sense that, as I told you we are still young but to some people, I think my life evangelizes Christ, how could anybody has got to this level and got back to the church, I’ve seen people ask me of what I am looking for in church despite my post, sometime after we started, I got a job and the salary was about $15,000 without Tax and I was to relocate to Kenya to be an African Director for an international organisation and they said I would be travelling around, which is my hobby, and also live in a big house in Kenya and it was supposed to be a 5 years contract, I didn’t apply for it, why didn’t it come when I was a UNESCO Chairman, they only said I should submit my CV and let them know when I would start but when I spoke to God about it, God told me He will allow me to take the Job but from this time around I’ll be on my own so I rejected it so right now, I’m focusing on my ministry, I let my members know my past so most people say they like my God and they want to serve Him, sometimes I ask why God made me go through all the academic heights before calling me but it is for a purpose so whatever God does, He has never made mistakes.
What was your wife’s reaction when you told her you wanted to leave the academics for full time ministry?
I must tell you frankly that she was very happy, I thought she and God were communicating regularly, she never knew it was series of prophecies and warnings that I had that made me to change, she said that has always been her dream, it’s not as If she’s not enjoying my company as an academics but she said she sees me in the church as a full time ministry, where are we going to get the money though our last born was 35 and married so we are not sponsoring anybody but she said God will always provide, she is backing me in the ministry and I don’t look back, when I am not there, I have other pastors working with me, she is there too and very happy. For coming to Israel, she was one of the motivating factors, she said if my daddy is having his birthday and for this pilgrimage, I just have to join them and God provided the money. She is backing me very well and the children also pray and encourages me. When daddy was asking us of how many years we want to live, I said I still need beyond 70, I need another 50 so I will be able to impact positively on lives, I am not thinking of anything in this world, I want to build my home in heaven so that at the end of the day I will also be welcomed to paradise, that is my mission.
Would we be right to say your background and your life story is the secret of the success of your ministry?
I should think so because coming from that background, having travailed those things, I never dreamt of becoming a professor but with everything, that has given me the full commitment to say if God can do it, how could God not do His own work, It is one of the things that energizes me, even if I do not become a Vice Chancellor, I am already a Professor and there is no other position in the university that anyone would aspire to be because even the VC is a political appointment but this is an academic achievement and if then I use that, I do not see how God will not support me to do His work, teaching me the way to go about it, sending people like my father to me to instruct me, I have no fear that the ministry would expand to attract people to win souls for God
Some of your colleagues, what were their reactions when you told them you wanted to leave for full time ministry?
You see, one thing everyone is craving for is money, if it becomes the overriding force everybody is using, people may not make heaven, most of them thought I was crazy, someone hated me for it and said how will I reject a job of $15,000 and when I told him my next employer is Jesus Christ, he said Dele, now I know you are crazy, so they did not support, but most of them when they have problem, they come, we pray, some of them have seen changes, some of them are becoming Christians, I suspect that if they are called for full time ministry, they will not hesitate to go but initially it was tough, most of them looked at me as an eccentric, after about 25 years of being a professor, when I am supposed to be enjoying the fruit of my labour but well, it took me sometime to convince some people but since it is my life, they should not live my life for me, I was convinced with what I was doing and some of them have seen the results. Whatever you have minus God, that person is finished, what is happening around me is sufficient to convince them without me telling them, I am enjoying it and I am proud to say it anywhere. We have our website and some go there and get amazed (www.cornerstonerevivalchurch.org), it is fantastic, we are young but I know with the support of Daddy Joshua Iginla, beyond the sky is our limit, he is doing a lot for us. He established the church actually, he came to South Africa to establish it and he has come to minister when we were two years, we are his baby and he has not left us alone, he is my spiritual father, with the support, we may have not gotten the finances but we believe that God will open doors and also raise within the church millionaire members.
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Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact saharaweekly@yahoo.com

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Business
Fidelity Set to Hold 3rd Edition of FITCC in Atlanta, USA September 2025
Published
1 day agoon
May 30, 2025
Fidelity Set to Hold 3rd Edition of FITCC in Atlanta, USA September 2025
Lagos, Nigeria – [29 May 2025] — Leading African financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, is set to hold the 3rd edition of its flagship market access platform, the Fidelity International Trade and Creative Connect (FITCC) Expo from September 18 to 20, 2025, at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park, Georgia, USA.
In a strategic move to deepen diaspora and transatlantic business linkages, Fidelity Bank is partnering with Amplify Africa, the organizers of AFRICON, the leading African diaspora business and culture summit in the United States. This collaboration brings together two powerful platforms committed to bridging African enterprise with global opportunity.
“Since 2022, when we hosted the maiden edition, FITCC has evolved beyond a platform for promoting Nigeria’s non-oil exports to become a veritable showcase of the immense value Nigeria has to offer the global market.
“As part of our commitment to developing platforms that promote economic growth, creativity, and sustainable trade both within Nigeria and internationally, we are pleased to announce the third edition of FITCC. Since 2022 when we hosted the inaugural edition, the FITCC expo has been at the heart of driving global market access for local businesses and I am delighted that this year we will be in the city of Atlanta, USA,” stated Dr Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,OON, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc.
Following the success of previous editions in London and Houston, which collectively generated a consolidated deal pipeline exceeding US$500 million, FITCC Atlanta 2025 will convene over 100 Nigerian exporters, alongside U.S. buyers, investors, policy stakeholders, and diaspora-led business networks.
The expo will spotlight strategic sectors including agriculture, consumer-packaged goods, energy transition minerals, fashion, beauty, and the broader creative economy. Programming highlights include business exhibitions, B2B matchmaking, policy dialogues, diaspora investment panels, and curated workshops focused on expanding Nigeria’s access to global markets.
FITCC 2025 is expected to attract over 3,000 participants, including development finance institutions, chambers of commerce, trade facilitation agencies, and multinational corporations. The event is also aligned with ongoing government-led efforts to expand U.S.–Nigeria trade and investment under emerging bilateral frameworks.
Interested participants can register to attend by visiting https://www.fidelitybank.ng/fitcc/#start_registering
Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The Bank is the recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
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Inclusive Education in Action, Union Bank Sponsors Mathematics Competition for Hearing Impaired Students
Published
1 day agoon
May 30, 2025
Inclusive Education in Action, Union Bank Sponsors Mathematics Competition for Hearing Impaired Students
Lagos, Nigeria— Union Bank of Nigeria, through UnionCares, an arm of its Corporate, Sustainability and Innovation Initiative, recently sponsored the Ajofa Special Education Foundation for the Deaf Mathematics Competition held at the Wesley School for the Hearing Impaired at Surulere Lagos, Nigeria, with the theme “Impacting Deaf Students and Life with Mathematics in Nigeria.”
The Mathematics Competition had in attendance representatives from Union Bank, the Lagos State Education Board, Principals of Schools, and teachers. Ten competitors, drawn from different schools within and outside the deaf community in Lagos, participated in the programme.
The competition, a collaboration between Union Bank and the Ajofa Foundation, aimed to close the gap in inclusive education by creating opportunities for learners with hearing impairments to showcase their academic abilities and intellectual potential.
Speaking about the event, Olufunmilola Aluko, the Chief Brand and Marketing Officer at Union Bank of Nigeria, said,
“At Union Bank, we believe that development must be inclusive. That’s why, through our UnionCares initiative, we continue to invest in meaningful partnerships and platforms like this. We also commend the brilliant students on display today, who have demonstrated that their circumstances do not define them. Rather, they are writing a new story that says disability is not inability. They are mathematicians, thinkers, and problem-solvers whose wisdom whispers and reshapes the world positively”.
Francis Ajomiwe, the Founder and Executive Director for the Ajofa Special Education Foundation for the Deaf, who communicated through an interpreter, expressed appreciation to Union Bank.
He said, “I’m grateful to Union Bank for their Sponsorship of this competition, helping bring our dreams to life. Through the Foundation, we are contributing our share to the overall goals of enhancing the educational experience and developing the deaf community. This we have been committed to upholding through organising education programmes and projects that benefit the deaf community”.
The Lagos State Education Authority, from its School Support Section, was represented by Bukunola Famakinwa, who, during her speech, emphasised the importance of the initiative on deaf learners and their community, stating that, “Deaf learners face unique challenges in accessing quality education, and mathematics is no exception. However, they can excel in mathematics and beyond with the right approach and support.” She emphasised the importance of mathematics as it empowers learners to “make informed decisions, solve problems, and participate fully in society.”
She urged the community to collaborate with the deaf community to create an inclusive education system that supports deaf learners in Nigeria.
The top three winners of the competition were Samuel Megbodofo, Tomilola Shonubi, and Opeoluwa Saka, who finished in first, second, and third place, respectively. The winners, who came from different schools for the hearing impaired competition, received branded gifts from the Bank, among other prizes.
The rest of the competitors, learners and teachers were also not left out as they, too, were gifted branded items from Union Bank.
Note to Editors:
About Union Bank of Nigeria:
Established in 1917 and listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1971, Union Bank of Nigeria is a household name and one of Nigeria’s long-standing and most respected financial institutions. The Bank is a trusted and recognisable brand with an extensive network of over 300 branches across Nigeria. The Bank offers various banking services to individual and corporate clients, including current, savings, and deposit account services, funds transfer, foreign currency domiciliation, loans, overdrafts, equipment leasing, and trade finance. The Bank also offers customers convenient
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Two Years of President Tinubu: A Business Perspective By Abdul Samad Rabiu
Published
3 days agoon
May 28, 2025
Two years of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: A Business Perspective featuring Abdul Samad Rabiu, CFR, CON — Founder & Chairman, BUA Group
As Nigeria marks two years under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I believe it is important to reflect, not from the lens of politics, but from the perspective of business, of industry, and of the economy. I speak not only as the Chairman of BUA Group – one of Africa’s largest conglomerates, but also as someone who has lived through the complexity of Nigeria’s reforms. I have seen the cost of dysfunction, the burden of inefficiency, but more importantly, the promise of a level playing field and the dividends of decisive governance.
*FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL*
The removal of the fuel subsidy is one of the most important decisions taken by this administration. Before that, Nigeria was selling PMS at 200 or 250 Naira per litre, which was about 25 or 30 cents. I doubt there was any country in the world where fuel was being sold at that price. During my trip to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj in February this year, I checked the pump price at one of the petrol stations as we drove from Jeddah to Mecca. When I converted the price to Naira, it was almost 1,500 Naira per litre. That was Saudi Arabia.
We could simply not afford the subsidy. It was not just Nigerians who were benefiting from it. We were subsidising the entire region. I remember visiting Niger Republic a few years ago when President Bazoum honoured us. During dinner, he joked and said, “Thank you for the subsidy.” He said 100 percent of all PMS consumed in Niger was coming from Nigeria because it would cost them three times more to import. There was no incentive for them to bring in their own fuel or refine crude at their own refinery. This was the situation across the region.
Today, I understand that our fuel consumption has dropped by almost 40 to 50 percent. It is not because Nigerians are consuming less, but because neighbouring countries have stopped tapping into our subsidised fuel. The PMS is still cheaper in Nigeria, even at 800 or 900 Naira per litre, but the logistics no longer support easy access. Countries like Niger and Benin Republic still take fuel from Nigeria, but others have stopped.
The removal of subsidies was needed not only to save the economy but to ensure that Nigerians alone benefit from what is imported. Even if there must be subsidy, it should be for Nigerians only. The money saved is now being channelled to infrastructure, to better support for states, and to other developmental priorities. All the states are receiving more money now, and that has made a real difference.
I am of firm opinion that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the right decision, and he made it boldly. On the first day he took office, he did what everyone knew had to be done but no one dared to do. He acted immediately. Many criticised him, but he did the right thing, and it saved the country. Had we continued under that burden, only God knows where we would be today. I always say, Mr President is probably the only one who had the courage to take such hard and necessary decisions.
*ON THE UNIFICATION OF THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE REGIME*
The unification of the foreign exchange market is another critical reform. Before this, many of us in the business community spent most of our time chasing foreign exchange. I personally spent half of my time trying to get FX from the Central Bank of Nigeria. The CBN was the only source of official exchange, offering FX at around 500 Naira when the parallel market was 800 or 900. No business could survive outside the CBN structure.
Every two weeks, we would go to Abuja to seek allocations. It was exhausting and inefficient. You had to camp there for three or four days before Allocation Monday, waiting for the CBN to allocate dollars. Today, I have met the new CBN Governor, Mr Cardoso, only once in two years. The reason is simple: I do not need to go to Abuja now to get foreign exchange. The system is open. It is working.
This was also a bold move by President Tinubu. It was necessary, and he took that decision as well. We are very glad because today we can focus on our businesses. These reforms are saving the economy.
*FAIRNESS, SANITY AND STABILITY IN BUSINESS*
Under this administration, we have seen a return to fairness and stability in business. We no longer worry about arbitrary shutdowns or politically motivated disruptions. Let me give a real example. We started a new business in Port Harcourt four or five years ago under BUA Foods, operating at the Rivers Ports under a concession with the Nigerian Ports Authority. It was going very well. One day, we woke up to a letter stating that the concession had been revoked, the terminal shut down, and the lease agreement terminated. There was no prior warning, no issue, no conflict.
Later, we discovered that the Managing Director of NPA at the time decided to close the business simply because our operations were competing with those of her friend. She wanted to impress her friend. That was the only reason. Today, that kind of thing cannot happen. Nobody would dare take such an action under President Tinubu. You can wake up now without fear that your business has been shut down by an agency or politician.
That stability is critical. That Port Harcourt plant alone has seen over 500 million dollars in investment and has employed over 4,000 people. The confidence this government has brought is real, and it is helping us plan better.
I must also personally acknowledge former President Muhammadu Buhari. When our Port Harcourt plant was unfairly shut down, it was his intervention that saved it. I had the privilege of explaining the situation to him. He agreed it was wrong and acted. He said he would not permit injustice under his watch. That decision saved the business. But the reality is, I had access. What if I did not? That is the difference today. Now, nobody needs access to the President to be treated fairly. Everyone knows that if you do something wrong under President Tinubu, you may lose your job or even face prosecution and go to jail. That is why I can now spend more time focusing on the business and relaxing.
The President Tinubu reforms are creating a level playing field. Like I said previously, every business had to lobby the CBN for FX. If you did not, your business would collapse. Now, you do not need to go to Abuja. You just focus on your operations.
*INFRASTRUCTURE AS A KEY DRIVER OF DEVELOPMENT*
In infrastructure, the difference is also clear. Look at the Lagos-Calabar highway. Look at the Sokoto-Badagry road. Look at the Kwara projects we are executing under the tax credit scheme. Look at Kano-Kongolam. Look at the Okpella to Kogi State corridor. These projects are progressing because of the savings from subsidy removal and FX unification. With more revenue, Nigeria is building.
These roads and others being built are critical because logistics have become a major challenge. Transporting goods from Lagos to the North is very expensive due to bad roads. Now, the President is addressing this. With better infrastructure, logistics will improve, and businesses will grow. These reforms have enabled long-term planning and serious investment.
*BUA WILL CONTINUE TO BET ON NIGERIA*
Since President Tinubu took office, BUA Group has invested over one billion dollars in the Nigerian economy. We are expanding our food business, doubling our flour and pasta facilities in Port Harcourt and building another in Lagos. Demand is increasing. People are earning more. Confidence is returning. We have also completed the first POP plaster manufacturing plant in Nigeria which is now operating and are soon starting construction of a 30MW solar energy project in Sokoto State.
In the oil and gas sector, we are completing our LNG project in Ajaokuta, Kogi State. These investments are possible because of stability that has been brought about by President Tinubu’s reforms. We can plan now. The exchange rate has been fairly stable for almost a year. FX is accessible. Money is coming in from different sources, and investors are responding. If you want 200 million dollars a week for trade, you can get it without lobbying anyone at the Central Bank. These are the results of good policies.
*ON FOOD SECURITY*
When I met President Tinubu recently, he raised concerns about food prices. He wanted to know what BUA Foods was doing. I explained that his six-month tariff waiver had worked. It disrupted hoarding in the rice market. In Nigeria, the rice harvest is short and runs for about three months. Middlemen were buying paddy rice, hoarding it, and raising prices post-harvest. This artificial scarcity drove prices to as high as 110,000 Naira per bag. The farmers did not benefit. Farmers just wanted to sell and move on yet some people were buying from them, hoarding it, and creating a food crises in the country.
The temporary waiver allowed rice to be brought in, and milled immediately. The hoarders were cut out. Prices began to drop. It was a short-term solution, but it worked. It showed foresight. I told the President it helped and that if the situation persists, further steps can be taken. But for now, it has made a difference.
*PRESIDENT TINUBU’S NIGERIA FIRST POLICY AND BACKWARD INTEGRATION*
President Tinubu’s Nigeria First policy has aligned well with our own belief in backward integration. Our cement business is almost entirely local. We mine our own limestone. We use Nigerian gas even though it is dollar-denominated. The only foreign element is the equipment, and even that benefits from government concessions for mining equipment which everyone else in the industry benefits. If we had to import cement today, prices would be over 15,000 Naira per bag. Nigeria does not have the port infrastructure to even handle the import volume. Producing locally has saved the economy and stabilised the sector.
We are doing more, and we will continue to do more. Nigeria has everything—population, arable land, resources, water, and now, strong leadership under President Tinubu. We believe in Nigeria because the fundamentals are now strong. My advice to all is to take a Bet on Nigeria. This is the place to be.
So for me, what has this administration done right? First, it removed the fuel subsidy which was the biggest economic scam in our history. Second, it unified the foreign exchange market and third, it restored stability, fairness, and confidence in the economy. These are the foundations of growth. Nigeria is full of potential. With the right leadership, which we now have, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
_Abdul Samad Rabiu is the Founder and Chairman, BUA Group._ Watch the full, exclusive interview on youtube – https://bit.ly/pbatbua
#TinubuAtTwo #BUAGroup #PresidentBolaTinubu #AbdulSamadRabiu #BetOnNigeria
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