Quick Summary: BUA Group has committed over $65 million to reconstruct Terminal B of the Rivers Port Complex without any public funds. The project, approved in 2022 and awarded to Italian firm TREVI, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026. The company says the terminal is vital to its industrial operations.
BUA Group has announced a self-funded investment of over $65 million for the reconstruction of Terminal B at the Rivers Port Complex, with completion projected for the first quarter of 2026.
BUA Responds to Allegations
The company disclosed this in a statement released on Sunday, addressing recent claims by former Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman. Usman had alleged that BUA breached the terms of its concession agreement at the terminal.
BUA clarified that its ongoing reconstruction project followed formal approval granted in 2022. The approval came after the NPA, under new leadership, implemented a directive from the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The rehabilitation contract was awarded to Italian engineering firm, TREVI.
A Fully Private-Sector Investment
BUA emphasized that the entire reconstruction project is being carried out without any public funding or government subsidies.
“Following Ms. Usman’s removal from office, the NPA, under new leadership, implemented the AGF’s position. In 2022, BUA was granted formal approval to resume reconstruction works. The contract was awarded to TREVI, and BUA has since invested over $65 million—entirely self-funded and with no recourse to public funds or subsidies. Work is ongoing and completion is expected in the first quarter of 2026,” the statement said.
Background to the Dispute
The dispute originated in June 2019, when the NPA under Hadiza Bala Usman declared berths 6 and 7 of Terminal B unsafe. BUA was directed to halt operations.
In response, BUA—through its subsidiary, BUA Ports and Terminals Ltd—challenged the directive. The company argued that it had a valid concession agreement and a subsisting court injunction protecting its operations.
Despite the ongoing legal process, BUA alleged that the NPA proceeded to decommission the terminal. The company claimed this action violated due process and damaged investor confidence.
Presidential Intervention and Legal Resolution
In early 2020, BUA Chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu brought the matter directly to then-President Muhammadu Buhari. The issue was escalated to the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
A letter dated June 1, 2020, from the AGF referenced a presidential directive. This directive instructed the NPA to withdraw its termination notice, reverse the decommissioning of the terminal, and reopen the facility. Malami also urged both parties to end arbitration and settle the matter amicably.
Following Hadiza Bala Usman’s removal in 2021, the NPA acted on the AGF’s position. By 2022, BUA received the green light to resume reconstruction works at Terminal B.
Terminal’s Role in Industrial Operations
BUA stated that Terminal B is critical to its $500 million industrial complex in Port Harcourt, which houses operations such as flour, pasta, and sugar production.
The company said the disruption posed a risk to over 4,000 jobs and caused estimated losses of more than $10 million. These losses were documented in court filings before BUA withdrew contempt proceedings to support national development.
Renewed Confidence in Nigeria’s Business Climate
Since resolving the dispute, BUA says it has committed over $1 billion in new investments across strategic sectors. The company credited its renewed confidence in Nigeria’s business environment to the current administration’s supportive policies.
