The Lagos State Government has been taken to court to clarify the claim by Alhaji Aliko Dangote that he paid $100m to the state for the land in Lekki, where his $20 billion refinery is situated.
The lawsuit was filed at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, seeking to compel the government to disclose whether this claim is true and to find out the circumstances of the money Dangote paid for the land.
In July 2024, Dangote, President of Dangote Group, stated during a visit by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, that his company did not receive any incentives from either the Federal or Lagos State governments for the refinery project. He emphasized, “We did not collect one single incentive from the Federal Government of Nigeria or even Lagos State… we paid $100 million for the land. It wasn’t free; we paid for it.”
However, local groups, including De Renaissance Patriots Foundation and Ibeju-Lekki Peoples Forum, have raised concerns, demanding accountability from the Lagos State Government. In an originating motion filed under the Freedom of Information Act, the applicants called for a detailed account of how such a large sum was collected in exchange for land from the Ibeju-Lekki community. They also requested information on which account the money was paid into and how it was utilized.
The lawsuit, which names Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state’s Attorney General, Accountant General, Permanent Secretary of the Lands Bureau, and the Lagos State Government as respondents, seeks an Order of Mandamus to force the government to release the requested information.
Yakubu Eleto, lead counsel for the applicants, referenced a 2015 statement by then-Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), who said the land was provided to Dangote for free as part of efforts to boost Lagos’ economy. This claim is now at odds with Dangote’s recent assertion that he paid $100 million for the land. Eleto emphasized the need for transparency, noting the people of Ibeju-Lekki had long suffered from neglect despite the massive project in their community.
The case was filed on Friday, September 6, 2024, under Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1603/2024 and is expected to be assigned to a judge on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. Eleto stressed that the community deserves to know where the money went and why there was no public disclosure about such a significant transaction.
