Ganduje’s Dry Port Scandal: Kano’s N4bn Hub Privatized

A massive ownership scandal is rocking Kano State, with a recent investigation unearthing allegations that former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje secretly maneuvered the state government out of its significant stake in the multi-billion naira Dala Inland Dry Port (DIDP), a project hailed as a vital economic gateway for Northern Nigeria. Ganduje’s Dry Port Scandal: Kano’s N4bn Hub Privatized

Sources reveal that the long-standing 20 per cent equity held by the Kano State Government in Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited—an asset dating back to 2006—was allegedly transferred into private hands under Ganduje’s watch. The controversy deepened with claims that the former governor’s children were installed as co-owners and directors of the strategic logistics hub.

The Alleged Coup: State Assets Privatized

The core of the allegation centers on a series of transactions and board maneuvers that effectively erased the state government’s ownership. The state’s 20 per cent stake was initially meant to be its contribution to the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project, primarily through the provision of critical infrastructure like access roads, perimeter fencing, electricity, and water supply at the Kumbotso site.

However, documents reveal that in a 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company, the state government was effectively removed as a co-owner. In a stunning move, three of Ganduje’s children, alongside a close associate of the former governor, were allegedly allotted five million shares each, making them significant shareholders and directors of the dry port. This restructure, critics argue, had the singular effect of divesting a public asset into the hands of the governor’s immediate family and proxies.

Contract Award Controversy

The scandal takes a sharper turn with revelations that shortly after the alleged privatization of the state’s equity, the Ganduje-led government awarded a contract worth over N4 billion for the provision of the very infrastructure the state was originally meant to provide as its capital contribution for the 20 per cent stake.

This contract award, carried out after the state was allegedly edged out of its ownership position, raises serious questions of conflict of interest and misuse of public funds. Kano State funds were used to build infrastructure for a project where the state was no longer a co-owner, while the governor’s family allegedly benefited from the privatized equity.

The Aftermath

The current state administration, under Governor Abba Yusuf, has reportedly taken note of the revelations. Official government records are said to still list the state as a stakeholder, prompting an ongoing investigation into how a close associate of the former governor and private individuals came to control a dominant share of the dry port company.

The Dala Inland Dry Port is a critical project, designated by the Federal Government as a Port of Origin and Destination, intended to boost trade with Niger, Chad, and other Sahelian nations. The uncertainty surrounding its true ownership and the allegations of asset stripping have cast a dark cloud over the future of the multi-billion-naira venture. The former governor has yet to publicly comment on the explosive findings. Songbux News Desk Report

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