Aliko Dangote, president of of Dangote Group, says if the federal government offers to sell the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) to him on credit, he is not interested.

Reacting to the criticisms that have trailed his advocacy for the sale of national assets, Dangote told THISDAY that his proposal was borne out of the desire to see Nigeria get out of the current economic recession.

In an interview with CNBC Africa, the billionaire had said the government would be able to raise between $12 billion and $15 billion from the sale of the company.

“If I had challenges in my company, I would not hesitate to sell assets, to remain afloat, to get to the better times, because it doesn’t make any sense for me to keep any assets and then suffocate the whole organisation,” he had said.

“The African finance corporation; it can fetch them $800million easily. My own suggestion before was that they should even sell 100 percent of NLNG. I don’t think government should be in any business of investing in sectors of LNG.

“A company like that, with earnings of $1.5 billion on the average, they should get anywhere between $12 billion and $15 billion.”

The comment had generated reactions, with some saying the billionaire was interested in buying the company.

But Dangote waved aside the criticisms, saying he offered the suggestions as “a true Nigerian who really wants the issues about the economy to be sorted out”.

“You know the issue, once your reserves are low, the banks, entrepreneurs, including external forces, would definitely attack your currency. They would speculate on your currency,” he said.

“We all know that the exchange rate of almost N500 to the dollar is not a true reflection of the value of the currency – the naira cannot be almost N500 to the dollar!

“But you see, if this thing is not handled properly, it can get out of hand. It can get to N600 to the dollar, or even N700 to the dollar.

“But the issue is, why did I suggest that we should sell some of the assets? I know the touchy one is the NLNG. I want to make it categorically clear that even if the government is selling NLNG on credit, I am not interested in buying.

“I don’t have any interest in NLNG and I will not buy it. It is not a business that I want to invest in. It is a mature business; that is what people don’t understand.

“You see, we should have invested heavily in all these Brass LNG, Olokola LNG, etc, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo started work on the projects, but we missed the opportunity.

“Today, you have massive LNG projects that have been done by Qatar, Australia and the United States is also exporting. But right now, all the gas that we have is even in the ground. Even Mozambique has a massive amount of gas and also Tanzania, and they are nearer to the markets than we are.

“So, if somebody is even going to invest in LNG, he would go to those areas and invest there and not here in Nigeria, because the investment here is daunting. So my own suggestion is that even if we must sell, it doesn’t have to be 100 per cent of our interest in NLNG.”


https://www.thecable.ng/dangote-even-if-fg-wants-to-sell-nlng-on-credit-i-am-not-interested?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ThecableTopStories+%28TheCable+%C2%BB+Top+Stories%29

“But the issue is, why did I suggest that we should sell some of the assets? I know the touchy one is the NLNG. I want to make it categorically clear that even if the government is selling NLNG on credit, I am not interested in buying.

“I don’t have any interest in NLNG and I will not buy it. It is not a business that I want to invest in. It is a mature business; that is what people don’t understand."

Oga Dangote, you must buy You suggested so that we can sell to you sir. Let us kuku know that Nigeria is now Dangote and Dangote is Nigeria. If Dangote (as a company) is really paying tax as it is supposed to be, you will not be talking of buying Nigeria.

Hmmmmmn. He has seen the handwriting of Nigerians on the wall and decided to back out. We know your plan is to buy the whole of Nigeria. But e no go happen

No, u must buy it

Deceiving Nigerians. He will use another company, a front to buy it.

Cutehector:


No, u must buy it

na force ni

Seems he is afraid of criticism

Sell this, sell that and the money will still end up in their pocket.

They should just sell Nigeria and give us our share abeg

sinaj:
na force ni

Seems he is afraid of criticism

Sell this, sell that and the money will still end up in their pocket.

They should just sell Nigeria and give us our share abeg

look it dis one, can u chop 1million in one day?

I always knew he was never interested.
If he was interested he would have used someone else to raise the issue of selling....

Cutehector:
look it dis one, can u chop 1million in one day?

ur mate de use am wash hand for club

sinaj:
ur mate de use am wash hand for club

Kai.. uwa mmebi!

Cutehector:
Kai.. uwa mmebi!

ezibote Uwa mmebi

see wash

Interesting...you're no longer interested or you were never interested?

Ok

Hmmm

All these politicians sef.
Their wages and allowances are enough assets!

Nigeria is rich. We don't need to sell anything but reduce their income.

Let change begin from them cos the change has since begun from our side since last year!

Y

I have learnt to ignore those who specialise in criticizing the successful and have nothing to show for it.

So they hug the internet and run around as paper and internet warriors with little think-abilities. As though they would be half as philanthropic or as reasonable as Aliko if they were in his shoes.

The man is a GCON, shrewd business man and knows the workings of government and governance. That's why he is such an Octopus. He holds a degree in Law too, amidst others. So he isn't talking without far greater knowledge than many critics. You don't go criticizing him in shallow fashion(s) or irresponsibly.

Many religious leaders that many critics virtually "worship" without question may have as much resources as Dangote might have access to yet only a few like Bishop Kukah and Pastor Bakare live almost regular lifestyles while still regularly contributing their opinions to National discourse regularly.

Dangote has already grown a business empire larger than Nigeria. He doesn't need to want to buy Nigeria. He already contributes significantly to our GDP already. What the rest of us should do isn't to criticise his every word and action but to work hard to establish our individual selves too - with God helping each one of us.

Everything we see is controlled by an unseen Hand that controls the Universe - the Omnipotent God. So why focus negative energy, not only on APC/Buhari/Tinubu but now Dangote? Why the baseless bile?

*P.S: I don't know Dangote and have absolutely no links with him/his business.*

Is NLNG the only national asset we have, what about Ajaokuta steel company.

Lies from the pit of hell,

12b dollars? But Buhari has recovered more than this amount nah from loots

[size=14pt]na so the denial starts oh!

Dem wan carry the wetin God give us and sell the people that have jack!

Yet thanks to the west now rule us, when we have the resources and man power.

PS
NYSC was just set up to take intellect to the north.
We are more than them in number, more educated and more blessed by Jesus.

Na why dem dey fight NDA.

Without the south, the north has no resource or man power
[/size]

Believe this and believe anything.

NONSENSE! He will use another company as a proxy to "buy" it.

He should tell that to himself. If you believe this you are the most gullible of all.

He is speaking like he cares, a billionaire that is dragging bottled water business with average millionaires. He should try something else, story for the gods.

Classic denial first and then something happens and he changes his mind to buy it.

Well I thank God for IPOB & NDA, na dem go get say pass.

Na now when FG talk say them no dey sell again, him con get liver to talk. Yeyenatu

d way we r going one day aso rock will be for sale

na so