On July 24, 2022, the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) Badeggi made at least nine questionable payments to Najah Consult, a consultancy firm. These payments totaled N141,445,189, FIJ has gathered.

While poring through publicly available records of government spending on the BudgIT Govspend portal, FIJ found that on that day, the NCRI paid companies for contracts and then paid Najah Consult to consult on those same contracts.

Some of the contracts NCRI paid for fell outside the scope of what the Ministry of Agriculture’s subsidiary was set up to achieve. For example, the MDA paid N134,209,302.34 to Exclusive Energy Ltd. on July 24, 2022, to provide “solar-powered light in the critical business location of Ikeja [Lagos State]” and then paid N15.3 million to Najah Consult for what it described as “payment for consultancy fees in respect of Exclusive Energy Ltd.”

On the NCRI website, the institute is described as being charged with a “national mandate for the genetic improvement of rice, sugarcane, soybean, acha, beniseed and castor throughout the country, as well as farming systems research and extension in all ramifications of agriculture within the Central Zone consisting of Nassarawa, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Taraba, Benue State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“NCRI research activities are carried out both in the headquarters and the ten (10) outstations located in different parts of the country, viz: Ibadan (Oyo State), Warri (Delta State), Amakama-Olokoro (Abia State), Uyo (Akwa-Ibom State), Bacita (Kwara State), Mokwa (Niger State), Birnin-Kebbi (Kebbi State), Numan (Adamawa State), Yandev (Benue State) and Riyom (Plateau State) in close collaboration with both national and international agricultural research institutes.”

One state is conspicuously missing from this list: Lagos. NCRI paid this energy company to install solar-powered lights in the state’s capital and then paid a consulting firm to consult on the same contract. Both the state and the venture fall well outside the scope of the NCRI.

Eight other similar contracts like this one were paid for on the same day, and for all of them, Najah Consult earned a slice for consulting.

QUESTIONABLE NAJAH CONSULT PAYMENTS

Although some of the contracts NCRI paid for matched its normal operations, others, like the solar light installation and renovation of classrooms, did not.

Every time the institute paid for these contracts, it paid the consulting agency but did not state clearly what the payment was meant for.

FIJ called one of the contractors who worked for the NCRI, and they confirmed they did not have any dealings with Najah Consult and did not know the company.

Payments NCRI made to Najah Consult on July 24, 2022, are:

• N18,588,890.46 Payment for consultancy fees in respect of JRB constructions company
• N15,298,323.75 Payment for consultancy fees in respect of LRB global investment ltd
• N15,300,000.00 Payment for consultancy fees in respect of exclusive energy ltd
• N15,300,000.00 Payment for consultancy fees in respect of joshuel global ventures ltd
• N13,464,000.00 Payment for consultancy fees in respect of nasa global resources services ltd
• N15,300,000.00 Payment for consultancy fess in respect of pierce & harry nig ltd
• 15,300,000.00 Payment for consultancy fess in respect of himalaya strategics ltd
• N15,299,804.25 Payment for consultancy fees in respect of overzoom global investment services ltd
• N17,594,181.00 Payment for consultancy fees in respect of 4plus solar energy ltd

FIJ also found that the company was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission on March 30, 2021, some 16 months before the payments.

This means the company would not have had ample time to operate, file several years of tax compliance and show proof of competence to qualify for such contracts.

FIJ called the phone number on the NCRI website, but it was switched off for days.

On Thursday, FIJ wrote to the institute via email to explain the payments and also wrote to Abubakar Tauheed and Shehu Ahmed, two persons with significant control of the company. As of press time, neither of them had responded.