However, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the former military Head of State, wanted to award the contract to his friends for a mere $3 million.
According to Vanguard, former President Obasanjo said he suggested that the contract be auctioned to the highest bidder instead. This decision led to a $280 million sale, with MTN, Glo, and Econet (now Airtel) emerging as the top competitors. Later, Etisalat also joined the fray, paying $450 million for its license.
Obasanjo shared this story at the launch of “The Catalyst: Nigerian ICT Evolution through a Journalist’s Lens,” a book by Dayo Oketola, on Tuesday, September 17. He highlighted the importance of creating a conducive environment to attract investments and emphasized that Nigeria can still replicate its past successes if it demonstrates character and honesty.
His statement reads in part:
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
