The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has projected to rake into government coffers about N300 billion this year from its privatisation and commercialisation activities to support government’s implementation of the 2018 budget.
The BPE Director-General, Dr Alex Okoh, disclosed this on Monday in Lagos at the Stakeholders Media Interactive Forum organised by the Enterprise and the Stakeholders Engagement Committee of the National Council on Privatisation (SEC-NCP).
Okoh, in a presentation at the forum listed some of the agency’s transactions being handled currently as the concession of Warri Old Port and the re-concession of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.
Others include, the sale of Afam Power Plant and three National Independent Power Projects as well as the partial commercialisation of the River Basin Development Authorities and National Parks.
The privatization expert, who recalled that the BPE recently concluded the sale of the Federal Government’s 21 percent interest in Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said that the transaction will contribute about N17 billion to national treasury.
Okoh hinted further that the process for recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture to create a stable financial institution that will support farmers was ongoing.
According to him, by the transaction arrangement, government through the CBN and the farmers associations would acquire 40 percent each of the equity while the private sector would acquire 20 per cent.
The BPE boss, who disclosed that Nigeria Postal Agency (NIPOST) would be unbundled into five commercialisation entities, explained further that the agency was entering into new privatisation reform programme through Public Private Partnership.
Specifically, Okoh said that the new reform programme focused mainly on the utility and infrastructure sectors, including railway, highways, roads, airports and the health sectors.
