By Eric Elezuo

The spate of philanthropic gestures and honours trailing one of Nigeria’s celebrated philanthropists and mega industrialists, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, is to say the least, legendary.

During the week the leading businessman, who doubles as the Chairman of BUA Group, an umbrella body comprising sugar and fertilizer manufacturing industries among other business concerns, paid a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. And true to type, Alhaji Rabiu exhibited the same stuff that has made him the toast of African entrepreneurship, when he made a whopping donation of N10 billion to the Nigeria Security Support Fund on behalf of his foundation, The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa). The donation was geared towards providing security equipment, medical and other supplies, upgrade of health facilities and other infrastructure for families of those on the frontlines.

As a man of gratitude, his visit was to update the president and to thank him for creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, and also brief him on the strides BUA Group has made in the past few years.

It is on record that in the past seven years, BUA has built over 10 factories with two of the Group’s subsidiaries now amongst the top 10 largest publicly listed companies in Africa. It was therefore, not out of place to identify with the efforts of the Buhari administration in business and the security space.

Rabiu’s avalanche of successes, humanitarian endeavours and spread of business tentacles has bestowed on him the uncommon title of the highest employer of labour in his region, the Northwest of Nigeria, in addition to continually maintain his status as Nigeria’s second richest man.

Rabiu’s image as a great achiever looms large. Earlier in the month, he was honoured among other Nigerians by the Nigerien President, Mohammed Bazoum, with the “Order of Merit of Niger, Great Master of National Awards,” the highest honours of the country for his great strides in increasing understanding between the two nations and for acting as agent of social and economic development. This was to mark the country’s Independence Day.

But beyond honours and awards, Rabiu’s consistency in developing the Nigerian nation, especially his region, has always come to the fore.

In January 2022, he commissioned and opened a 3 million metric tonnes per annum BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 Factory or 3MPTA BUA cement, line 4 cement plant, in Sokoto

Describing his efficiency, notable Nigerians, who attended the event, took turns to remark the importance of the industrialist, who on many occasions, has made the Forbes list of billionaires in the world, following his inclination to creating millionaires through the provision of veritable employment opportunities, with special focus on those of his northwest origin. Today, he is the fifth richest man in Africa, and the second richest man in Nigeria.

The BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 was built to the following specifications: three million metric tonnes per annum capacity; 6,000 TPD ILC with the highest energy efficiency and latest pollution abating equipment; 48 MW dual fuel power Plant and so on. The Line 5 is already in the works and should be ready in the first quarter of 2023.

With an array of political, financial and entrepreneurial presence at the occasion, the person of Alhaji Samad and the importance of his BUA Group were brought to the fore and celebrated. Leading the fray of eulogies, Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, could not hide his joy at the impact of the entrepreneurial giant, noting that he has remained the largest employer of labour in the northwest region of Nigeria.

He said: “I am pleased that through these investments, BUA Cement has created employment opportunities for our citizens. Today, BUA is the largest employer of labour in the North-West region.

“I always remind Nigerians that every region, indeed every state, in Nigeria sits on huge reserves of resources. For example, in this area, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara can boast of rice production, gold and other precious metals development and of course, heavy industries like cement manufacturing.

”As a government, we introduced policies and mechanisms to support such investments in a legal, ethical and inclusive manner.

”For example, we have the National Food Security Council on Food Security Matters and the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative to develop local artisanal gold mining and ensure health and safety of mining workers and protect the environment.

”We remain prepared to support serious investors to set up businesses that will take advantage of these opportunities through value addition so as to take advantage of the huge market here, as well as in the greater African region and the world at large.”

Recalling how he, as Head of State in 1985, was at the same location to commission the 2nd line of the facility, the president expressed quite a feeling of nostalgia.

”Today, almost 37 years later, to commission the fourth line is a very special day for me personally.

”As you all know, one of the key economic pillars of our administration has been to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. This is necessary for job creation and indeed, for our economy and national security.

”In the past few weeks, I visited Ogun and Kaduna states where I observed many private sector investments in action. And today, I am here in Sokoto to commission this multi-billion Naira project.

”It is therefore very clear for all to see that our policies are working. Progress is gradually being made in all parts of the country,” he said.

Abdul Samad Rabiu is not one to rest on his oars as he had pledged to continue to be a leading light in propagation of entrepreneurial ideals, and coming to the rescue of small businesses as well as humanity, having so far invested over a billion dollars in the past four years.

He said: “In the past 6 years, we have completed 4 plants – two in Obu, Edo State and two in Sokoto (of which this Sokoto line 4 is the fourth) with BUA’s total production capacity now standing at 11.5 million tonnes with the completion of this plant.

”Next year, we intend to complete the construction of two new plants of 3 million metric tonnes each for which construction is ongoing – one in Edo and the other, here in Sokoto.”

That is the stuff AbdulSamad Rabiu is madse of.

Born on August 4, 1960, in Kano, to one of Nigeria’s foremost industrialists in the 1970s and 1980s, Khalifah Isyaku Rabiu, Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu CON is a perfect combination of many things in one.

It was in his native Kano that he kick started his academic pursuit, carousing through elementary education with ease as a gifted child, and obtained his First School Leaving Certificate. He was later admitted into the Federal Government College, Kano, where he had his secondary education, and gradually with honours.

With a combination of fate, brilliance and determination, Abdulsamad was catapulted to Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, where he studiously studied Economics, and acquired his tertiary education before returning to Nigeria, all before his 24th birthday, to oversee his family business. He was that much sort after, and highly brilliant, and considered capable of holding fort for his father, who was being detained by the administration of General Muhammadu Buhari over matters concerning import duties.

In 1988, just after learning the ropes of entrepreneurial excellence, Abdul Samad Rabiu established BUA International Limited, for the sole purpose of commodity trading. The company followed after the footsteps of his father, and imported rice, edible oil, flour, and iron and steel.

In 1990, having exhibited the character worthy of a world class entrepreneur, and the ability to execute classical projects, Rabiu’s BUA was invited by the government, which owned Delta Steel Company to supply its raw materials in exchange for finished products. This provided a much-needed leverage for the young company, and consequently expanded further into steel, producing billets, importing iron ore, and constructing multiple rolling mills in Nigeria.

Rabiu’s dexterity showed further a few years later, when the company acquired Nigerian Oil Mills Limited, the largest edible oil processing company in Nigeria, and there erupted the company’s and BUA’s influence and care over the people in the provision of affordable edible oil. His passion to see people excel in comfort has continued to make him churn out one great tiding after another, and endearing him in the hearts of the generality of the public.

A man with a vision for tomorrow,  Rabiu, in 2005, started two flour-milling plants, in Lagos and in Kano, and by 2008, had broken an eight-year monopoly in the Nigerian sugar industry by commissioning the second-largest sugar refinery in sub-Saharan Africa. This was a feat only a bravest of hearts could wroth. As a result, in 2009 the company went on to acquire a controlling stake in a publicly-listed Cement Company in Northern Nigeria and began to construct a $900 million cement plant in Edo State, completing it in early 2015. Rabiu’s passion for expansion is unequalled.

BUA Group has since concentrated and excelled in manufacturing, infrastructure and agriculture and producing a revenue in excess of $2.5 billion. This is in addition to being the chairman of the Bank of Industry (BOI).

The Group, in 2019, announced plans to merge its privately owned Obu Cement with the publicly traded Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc (CCNN), to create Nigeria’s second largest cement producer thereby consolidating the grip on the cement market and breaking its monopolistic status.

It is worthy of note that Cement Company of Northern Nigeria PLC in which Rabiu owned more than 97% was producing two million metric tons of cement per annum (Mtpa) while Obu Cement has an annual production capacity of 6Mtpa. The move is in line with the company’s resolve to deepen the Nigerian capital markets and enhance the growth of the cement industry.

Rabiu’s expansion strides cannot be complete without a mention of his extraordinary philanthropic gestures.

In April 2020, he made a whopping donation towards the fight to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic presently ravaging the country.

In a letter dated April 24, 2020, he personally signed and addressed to The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the billionaire businessman, congratulated the duo of the Task Force and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for doing a good job while observing that much as so much has been done, there was still need to do a lot more, as the disease continued to make inroads into many parts of the country, especially Lagos and Kano states.

“I view with deep concern, the increased rate of spread of the Coronavirus, especially in Kano and Lagos states despite concerted collective efforts to curb the spread and effects of the virus in Nigeria,” he said.

With sincere reference to ‘what is going on, especially in Kano at the moment’ the philanthropist, who had earlier donated N1 billion to the private sector led CACOVID and other states, announced the release of another N3.3 billion ‘grant to the working group made up of the Presidential Task Force, NCDC and other stakeholders in equipping two existing permanent facilities in Kano and Lagos states’.

He said: “To this end, I am immediately committing and making available – through the Bua Foundation two grants of Two Billion Naira for the Kano-based intervention and One Billion Naira for Lagos State being the two epicentres of this virus in Nigeria.”

Rabiu also informed that “a sum of N300 million will also be made available immediately in cash to the Presidential Task Force to assist with logistical and operational activities of the taskforce. This grant is in addition to BUA’s earlier contributions to the private sector led CA-COVID coalition and donations to other states.”

Giving directive on how the funds will be spent, the BUA Foundation Chairman hinted that the “working Group will be expected to use resources at its disposal to ensure these facilities – to be determined by the Working Group – are fully equipped in the shortest possible time.”

He further revealed his trust in the working group to judiciously use the grant for the purposes meant, saying “I believe this will effectively help to expand the scope of interventions, ongoing research as well support already stretched medical cities dedicated to this fight.”

Rabiu’s BUA had in March through a confirmed funds transfer to the COVID-19 relief fund account with the Central Bank of Nigeria redeemed its pledge of N1billion ($2.6m) to the fight against COVID-19. In addition, the company also announced another donation of N300 million to Sokoto, Edo and Ogun States to assist in galvanizing a coordinated response and adequate preparedness in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in this states. The donations to Sokoto and Edo States were on behalf of its Cement subsidiary, BUA Cement which has its major operations in those states whilst Ogun was also selected as a beneficiary due to its proximity to Lagos which had been the epicenter of the virus in Nigeria.

In total, Rabiu and his group donated N4.6 billion to the fight against the dreaded pandemic in a addition to other incentives, making them the single highest donor as at date.

In 2021, Rabiu’s focus bestowed on him the grace of becoming the biggest gainer in shares. According to Forbes, which listed the billionaire among the four top billionaires in Africa for the year, “shares of his BUA Cement PLC, which listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange in January 2020, doubled in value in the past year. That pushed Rabiu’s fortune up by an extraordinary 77%, to $5.5 billion. One thing to note: Rabiu and his son together own about 97% of the company, giving the company a tiny public float. The Nigerian Stock Exchange requires that either 20% or more of a company’s shares to be floated to the public, or that the floated shares are worth at least 20 billion naira — about $50 million — a paltry sum, to be sure. A spokesman for the Nigerian Stock Exchange told Forbes that BUA Cement meets the second requirement. (Forbes discounts the value of stakes when the public float of a company is less than 5%.)”

Rabiu has constantly used his BUA Foundation for his philanthropic activities. Some of them include the construction of a 7,000-square-meter paediatric ward at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and the construction of the Centre for Islamic Studies at Bayero University Kano amongst several others.