No fewer than 91 public enterprises have been lined up for privatisation as the federal government seeks to cut direct ownership and drive economic growth.
The move, which is expected to unlock greater economic value and strengthen the capacity of these enterprises, was announced in Abuja on Tuesday.
Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises,BPE, Mr. Ayodeji Gbeleyi, announced the plan on Tuesday at a media briefing in Abuja.
He described the BPE as the lead agency driving the federal government’s commercialization and privatisation agenda, stressing that national interest would be the sole determinant in deciding which enterprises are sold or concessioned.
Out of the 91 enterprises earmarked for privatisation, 16 fall within the oil and gas industry, including refineries and depots; 12 in agriculture; 20 in aviation; and 28 covering stadiums and other public facilities.
Others span mines and steel, transport, eco-tourism, and two agencies owned by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
Gbeleyi explained that while 35 of the enterprises would be fully privatised, 57 would undergo partial divestment. He, however, did not list the specific firms under each category.
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Unveiling the agency’s 2025 plans, the DG said the BPE is targeting N312.3 billion under the Appropriation Act through assets sales, six revenue-generating projects, and nine reform-driven initiatives.
He emphasised that the agency’s priority areas include agriculture to boost food security and the energy sector to improve power supply.
On disputes arising from previous privatisation exercises, Gbeleyi disclosed that the agency is working with the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, the Ministry of Justice, and the Vice President’s office to resolve longstanding legal cases, including the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria and the Foreshore Towers property in Ikoyi, Lagos, tied to NITEL/MTEL’s non-core assets.
He further announced that the BPE is collaborating with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and other stakeholders to develop public-private partnership projects in airports, roads, rail, inland waterways, seaports, agriculture, education, health, housing, ICT, and security.
Responding to concerns over court orders, Gbeleyi pledged that the agency under his leadership would uphold the rule of law.
“The BPE will not disobey any court order as we have already strengthened our capacity to deal with the law and fulfil our mandate as a lead agency of the federal government of Nigeria.
We will continue to remain law-abiding and lead by example so that none of our decisions can violate the laws of Nigeria,” he stated.
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