Qatari firm, Ogun Govt differ over ‘multi-million-dollar factory’

Controversy is brewing over a reported plan by a Qatari-based dairy industry, Baladna, to establish a multi-million dollar food factory in Ogun State.

Daily Trust reports that a statement circulated on Monday by Governor Dapo Abiodun’s media team hinted that the firm “is set to establish the multi-million dollar food factory” in the state.

The statement posted also shared on the government’s social media handles quoted the Head of Products and Solutions Architecture at Baladna, Mr. Aidan Thomas Iynan, to have disclosed this when he and other members of the company paid a courtesy visit to Abiodun, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

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The team was led by the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Aisha Rimi.

The statement quoted Abiodun to have highlighted “the multiplying effects of having the company established in the state, noting that apart from job creation and individual prosperity, it would also lead to an increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation.”

Abiodun, through his official X handle, @DapoAbiodunCON, equally shared pictures of himself and people believed to be officials of the Qatari firm, with a message which reads: “Earlier today, we had the pleasure of receiving Baladna, a Qatari-based dairy giant, as it sets plans in motion to establish a multi-million dollar food and diary facility in Ogun State.”

However, the firm is questioning Ogun government’s public announcement when no agreement has been reached, expressing worry that such disclosure has implication on the firm as a listed company on the Qatar Stock Exchange.

The Guardian quoted Baladna’s Marketing and Communications Director, Aladdin Idilbi, to have confirmed that the Qatari firm and the Ogun State government had no agreement on building a multi-million dollar factory.

He described the visit as exploratory.

“So nothing should be published without our approval, especially since no agreement was signed, and that affects us as a listed company.

“If there was any kind of agreement, you would see the news on our official website the minute they take the photo,” Idilbi reportedly said.

In a follow-up statement, Baladna insisted that only official announcements regarding its operations or investments must be disclosed through official regulatory channels before being communicated to the public, Baladna added.

“In light of the above, no press release or public statement regarding any potential investment by Baladna may be issued by any party without following the proper legal procedures and formal disclosure by us to the competent regulatory authorities in Qatar. Furthermore, the use of Baladna’s name thereof without prior written consent is strictly unauthorized.

“We would like to clarify that, at this stage, we are only exploring potential avenues for cooperation and there are no agreements or announced projects regarding a dairy investment in Ogun State, Nigeria,” the firm said.

When contacted, Governor Abiodun’s spokesman, Kayode Akinmade, told our correspondent that the Ogun government did not expressly say that an agreement has been signed between the two parties.

“There is no place where we said they signed an agreement. They are not the first, the second, third, fourth or fifth that would come to Ogun State to look for opportunities. Many people are coming here,” he said.

When asked on the fear expressed by the firm over the government’s announcement, Akinmade said, “I am not working for the Qatar government (firm), I work for the Ogun state government. If their Public relations person did not know when their people visited Nigeria, that’s not our problem in Ogun State.

“What concerns us is that the people came around, they said they wanted to do business. We said we are available. We have all it takes for them to do business, they are not the first, second, third that would come to do business with us and we never said we signed any agreement.”