April 8, 2025 – Warri, Nigeria
In an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, development advocate and public affairs commentator, Comrade Wilson Macaulay, has called on the President to clear bureaucratic hurdles hindering China’s $1 billion investment in the Ajaokuta Steel Plant.
The intervention, aimed at reviving the dormant plant, has been delayed despite the Chinese consortium’s deposit to begin the project.
The letter comes in the wake of the appointment of Professor Nasir Naeem Abdulsalam as the new Managing Director of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL), with many seeing it as a step forward in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Macaulay highlights the urgency of fast-tracking the project, as the Ajaokuta Steel Plant has been inoperative for over four decades, despite being central to Nigeria’s industrial development.
Six months ago, national media outlets, including Channels TV, reported that the Chinese government and industrial partners had pledged over $1 billion to rehabilitate the plant. The funds are intended for technical upgrades, training, and equipment overhaul, but bureaucratic delays have stalled the project, frustrating foreign partners and raising concerns among Nigerians eager to see the steel plant operational.
Macaulay stresses that China’s offer is not just financial; it includes world-class technology transfer, human capital development, and the establishment of industrial value chains that could drive Nigeria’s economic growth.
He urges the President to personally intervene, leveraging executive power to expedite approvals and finalize documentation.
The Ajaokuta Steel Plant is seen as a potential game-changer for Nigeria’s industrial landscape, capable of creating over 500,000 jobs and reducing the nation’s dependence on imported steel. It could also contribute to critical national infrastructure projects in defense, housing, and transportation.
In concluding, Macaulay calls for immediate action to “unlock” Ajaokuta’s potential, arguing that it could be a defining moment for Nigeria’s industrial future.
He urges President Tinubu to act swiftly to ensure the steel plant’s revival and secure a prosperous future for Nigeria.
