Former NPA boss debunks allegation of political interference, accuses BUA of breaching contractual obligations at Rivers Port
Former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, has strongly refuted claims by BUA Group Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu, that her administration arbitrarily terminated the company’s concession at the Rivers Port in Port Harcourt due to personal interests.
Rabiu had made the allegations in an article titled “Two Years of President Tinubu: A Business Perspective”, published on Thursday, May 29. While commending President Bola Tinubu for creating a more stable and investor-friendly environment, Rabiu cited a past incident where BUA’s operations were allegedly shut down by a former NPA MD to protect the interests of a personal associate.
“One day, we woke up to a letter stating that the concession had been revoked, the terminal shut down, and the lease agreement terminated,” Rabiu wrote.
“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.”
Though Rabiu did not name the NPA official, his comments were widely interpreted as referring to Hadiza Bala Usman, who served as MD of the Authority from 2016 to 2021.
Usman Responds: “Shameful and False”
In a detailed response, Usman described Rabiu’s claims as “shameful,” stating that BUA’s concession was revoked due to persistent violations of its lease agreement, not personal bias or favoritism.
According to Usman, BUA Ports and Terminal Limited was awarded the concession for Rivers Port Terminal B under a 20-year lease agreement signed on May 11, 2006. The company officially took over the terminal on August 10, 2006.
A key term of the agreement, Usman said, required BUA to commence reconstruction of Berths 5–8 within 90 days of the handover. However, she noted that a full decade later, no rehabilitation had begun—prompting a series of formal warnings from the NPA.
“A notice of default was issued to BUA on February 11, 2016—before I assumed office as MD,” Usman said.
“Despite this, and a further notice under my tenure on August 17, 2016, the company continued to ignore its contractual obligations.”
She added that after repeated warnings, the NPA issued a termination notice on November 11, 2016, giving BUA three months to vacate the terminal. The company later obtained a restraining order from the Federal High Court in January 2018, which temporarily barred the NPA from enforcing the termination. Usman said the Authority complied with the court’s directive, allowing BUA continued access to the facility.
Political Pressure Alleged
In her rebuttal, Usman also alleged that Rabiu used his access to then-President Muhammadu Buhari to pressure the federal government into reversing NPA’s lawful decision—an act she says contradicted the terms of the agreement and worked against Nigeria’s national interest.
“Mr. Rabiu never disclosed how he misinformed the former president to overturn a process that followed due diligence,” Usman stated.
“Rather than take responsibility for failing to uphold his end of a federal agreement, he now seeks to rewrite history and cast himself as a victim.”
“Respect the Agreement, Not Rewrite It”
Usman urged BUA Group to refrain from what she described as “cheap blackmail” and to instead commit to responsible corporate governance and transparency.
“It is curious that the BUA Chairman continues to push a false narrative, aimed at distracting Nigerians from the truth: that his company flouted binding obligations and attempted to leverage influence to escape consequences,” she said.
“The real issue is about respecting national contracts, not personal vendettas.”
A Broader Lesson on Accountability
The development has sparked broader discussions about the accountability of both public officials and private sector leaders in Nigeria’s concession regime.
Media analyst and journalist KC weighed in, stating:
“This controversy underscores the importance of transparency in government-business relationships. If Nigeria is to attract long-term investment, concessionaires must be held to the same standards as the public agencies they deal with.”
As the public debate unfolds, Usman’s sharp response appears to mark a clear stand against what she views as a growing trend of historical revisionism by powerful interests.
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