How Abdulsalami almost denied Nigeria $280m telecom deal — Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, revealed how the former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), almost denied Nigeria a $280 million telecommunications deal.

Obasanjo said when Nigeria was about to transit from landline telephones to mobile phones, some major telecommunication companies approached the country seeking to provide mobile lines for the citizenry, but Abubakar wanted to award the deal to his friends for $3 million.

The former President, however, said he suggested that the contract be auctioned and the highest bidder awarded the contract, leading to the $280 million sale.

He spoke at the launch of a book titled ‘The Catalyst: Nigerian ICT Evolution through a Journalist’s lens,’ authored by an immediate past Editor of The PUNCH Newspapers, Mr Dayo Oketola, in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Obasanjo said: “The story of telecommunications, particularly mobile telecommunication, is a very interesting one. Before mobile telecommunication, we had spent a lot of money, we had all sorts of companies invited from America, France and even from Britain, but we did not get more than 500,000 lines. People had to queue at the telephone kiosk to call their loved ones abroad. And then, of course, the mobile telephone age came in.

“When it came in, my predecessor in office was trying to give it away, I think, to their friend for $3 million. Then we said, what we would do was to auction it. The three that came in first, I think, paid $280 million for the line. $280 million for something about to be given away for $3 million. That was the first thing we did. Not only that, we achieved competition.

“The three of them were competing. And, of course, the one that had the upper hand in terms of spread, I think, was MTN, followed by Glo. And then, there was Econet. They are now Airtel. And then, of course, later on, we had the fourth one, Etisalat. When Etisalat came, I told them the last one we did was $280 million. We told Etisalat to pay $450 million. They did.

“When they paid $450 million, the ball went in the post and then we were playing. That was how we got money to do what we did at the time we did it. That opportunity can still be made available. The money to develop Nigeria is out there, but that money will not come in unless we create a conducive atmosphere for that money to come in.

“What we did or what Nigeria has done in the good days when things were going well, are still there and can still be done today only if we put ourselves and we are honest to ourselves. We have to show character and attitude.”

In his remarks, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, Mr Eze Anaba, said: “It is great to see that an editor, despite the huge task of meeting deadlines, writing stories that would sell his paper, can sit down and write a book. I am here to say I appreciate Oketola’s effort and also honour him. It is an honour and privilege to be here for the launch of a book written by a respected and seasoned editor who has contributed hugely to shaping opinions through his paper. As an editor, he ensured that his readers were well-informed and educated. He has always been at the forefront of truth-telling, balancing the line between facts and analysis to ensure that readers are well-informed, engaged and sometimes even challenged.

“This book is a testimonial to his years of dedication to journalism. It captures insights, stories and perhaps some untold experiences that have shaped his career. It is an exploration of complexities through the lens of someone who has been on the frontline of news delivery. As we gather to celebrate this significant achievement, let us take a moment to acknowledge the efforts that went into writing this book. For an editor whose schedule is very tight and works round-the-clock, I think this book is very commendable.”

Notable dignitaries present at the launch included Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, represented by Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State, Mr Gbenga Omotoso; former Governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, NIJ, Mr Gbenga Adefaye; Chairperson of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Mr Sam Omatseye.