Consul denies charging Dangote US$1 million to meet NNN
…as Mbuende rejects leaking confidential Cabinet minutes Renthia Kaimbi Namibia’s Honorary Consul in Nigeria, Justin Chuma Anosike, has denied allegations that he invoiced Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote US$1 million for facilitating a meeting with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, saying no introduction or other fee was requested in connection with the meeting. The denial comes amid separate […]
…as Mbuende rejects leaking confidential Cabinet minutes
Renthia Kaimbi
Namibia’s Honorary Consul in Nigeria, Justin Chuma Anosike, has denied allegations that he invoiced Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote US$1 million for facilitating a meeting with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, saying no introduction or other fee was requested in connection with the meeting.
The denial comes amid separate allegations that confidential Cabinet minutes and strategic documents from the National Planning Commission (NPC) were leaked to Anosike and subsequently passed to a senior executive within the Dangote Group.
NPC director-general Kaire Mbuende has also rejected the allegations, telling the Windhoek Observer yesterday that he never provided Anosike with confidential documents relating to Dangote’s proposed investment.
Mbuende said his first interaction with Anosike occurred at State House during Dangote’s meeting with Nandi-Ndaitwah and that their subsequent engagements were limited to discussions aimed at attracting foreign direct investment into Namibia.
“So we had a few meetings in that capacity. Then, of course, whenever there is a Namibian function, we were in New York at the UN, and there was a Namibian function, he attended those functions. And that really has been my association with him, and nothing beyond that,” Mbuende said.
According to Mbuende, Anosike had approached him on several occasions to introduce potential investors interested in Namibia’s strategic projects, but their interactions did not extend to the sharing of confidential government information.
Anosike told the Windhoek Observer that Dangote himself requested that he facilitate the visit to Nandi-Ndaitwah mid last year.
“I facilitated a visit by Dangote to President Netumbo in July 2025,” Anosike said in his written response.
He said he attended some of the bilateral discussions at State House and later accompanied Dangote to Walvis Bay, where the businessman inspected facilities at the port.
Anosike said he did not request an introduction fee or any other payment before or during the visit.
“I never prior to or during the said visit requested any sort of ‘introduction or other fee’ for facilitating the visit,” he said.
However, Anosike acknowledged that after the visit he submitted a Strategic Advisory Agreement proposal to Dangote.
He said the proposal was made at Dangote’s request and related to specific services he would provide in connection with the proposed investment.
“Subsequent to the visit and upon request by Dangote, I proposed a ‘Strategic Advisory Agreement’ for specific services I would render to Dangote pursuant to the proposed Project,” Anosike said.
According to Anosike, Dangote never responded to the proposal but instead circulated it alongside what he described as a “false narrative”.
“Dangote never reverted, but chose to circulate my proposal along with a false narrative for reasons best known to him,” he said.
Anosike confirmed that no money had ultimately been paid to him by Dangote.
The distinction between the alleged US$1 million “introduction fee” and the Strategic Advisory Agreement is therefore central to Anosike’s response.
He maintains that the proposal was for advisory services following the visit and was not a fee for introducing Dangote to the President.
Mbuende rejected allegations that confidential Cabinet minutes or NPC documents were leaked to Anosike.
Asked whether there was any document relating to the Dangote project that had been provided to Anosike, Mbuende said: “No. There was no document.”
He said the information concerning Dangote’s proposed investment had largely been presented openly to government institutions and was not confidential.
“They made a presentation about what they want to do in Namibia. They want to put up a tank farm to supply oil to neighbouring countries. They want to put up a pipeline to supply the neighbouring countries from here and so forth,” Mbuende said.
“These are all, they have also been releasing statements and that we have read in the newspapers. So there was nothing confidential.”
Mbuende said the project was subsequently approved by Cabinet for government support and facilitation.
“There was a Cabinet decision there, to promote and facilitate the project. And there is no Cabinet confidential document with Dangote or anything,” he said.
He explained that his role was to coordinate with government institutions to help address challenges facing the proposed investment, including issues involving Namport, the ministry of finance, the ministry of works and transport and the ministry of home affairs.
“My role, really, as a government, is to make sure that this project comes to fruition. And I’m dealing primarily with government institutions to make it happen, and that’s the mandate I was given,” Mbuende said.
Mbuende said the proposed investment involves establishing a tank farm in Walvis Bay to supply oil to neighbouring countries, together w
