•Governor Abiodun (second right) and the visitors
An announcement by the Ogun State Government about a multi-million dollar investment is now being questioned after Qatar’s largest dairy company, Baladna, denied claims that it “is set to establish a multi-million dollar food and dairy factory in Ogun State.”
The announcement, widely reported in local and national media yesterday (not The Frontier), stated that Baladna was set to establish a major dairy production plant in Ogun following a courtesy visit by Baladna’s team, alongside the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Aisha Rimi, to Governor Dapo Abiodun in Abeokuta.
The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, through his official X handle, @DapoAbiodunCON, had shared pictures of himself and people believed to be officials of the Qatari firm, captioning it: “Earlier today, we had the pleasure of receiving Baladna, a Qatar-based dairy giant, as it sets plans in motion to establish a multi-million dollar food and diary facility in Ogun State.”
Also, the Ogun State Government, in a lengthy post on X, @OGSG_Official, said Baladna wanted to bring its world-class dairy farming operations to Nigeria and that the project would help with jobs, agriculture, and food security.
“Baladna, known for running the world’s largest integrated dairy farm, aims to replicate its success in Nigeria by investing in local dairy production, land acquisition, and feasibility studies. The initiative aligns with ongoing federal efforts to improve food security and reduce Nigeria’s reliance on dairy imports, which currently cost the country up to $1.5 billion annually,” the state government wrote.
Governor Abiodun was quoted as welcoming the “partnership,” assuring Baladna of Ogun’s full support and a business-friendly environment.
The statement also quoted Abiodun as saying that the project would boost innovation, create jobs, and contribute to both state and national economic goals under the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The @OGSG_Official had also shared multiple pictures of Ogun State government officials and persons believed to be affiliated with Baladna.
The visit was seen as a sign that something big was about to happen in Ogun State.
But soon after the published story titled, “Qatar’s Baladna to set up multi-million dollar dairy factory in Ogun”, The Guardian got no fewer than two messages saying the report was not true.
Also, our correspondent reached out to Baladna’s Marketing and Communications Director, Aladdin Idilbi, who confirmed that the Qatari firm and the Ogun State government had no agreement on building a multi-million dollar factory.
Idilbi, in a WhatsApp message, further said, “To clarify, the visit was purely exploratory, aimed at assessing potential sites for arable and dairy farming. No agreement has been signed. The state and federal governments are encouraging FDI to boost food security, which aligns with our mission, but this was an initial fact-finding visit only.
“So nothing should be published without our approval, especially since no agreement was signed, and that affects us as a listed company.
“If there was any kind of agreement, you would see the news on our official website the minute they take the photo.”
After reaching out to Baladna for confirmation, our correspondent received a letter from the company. In it, Baladna made it clear that “there are no agreements or announced projects regarding a dairy investment in Ogun State, Nigeria.”
Baladna also clarified that “at this stage, we are only exploring potential avenues for cooperation”, but nothing has been agreed yet.
The Qatari company also explained that because it is a public company listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange, it must follow strict rules before announcing any investment.
Only official announcements regarding its operations or investments must be disclosed through official regulatory channels before being communicated to the public, Baladna added.
“In light of the above, no press release or public statement regarding any potential investment by Baladna may be issued by any party without following the proper legal procedures and formal disclosure by us to the competent regulatory authorities in Qatar. Furthermore, the use of Baladna’s name thereof without prior written consent is strictly unauthorised,” it noted.
“We would like to clarify that, at this stage, we are only exploring potential avenues for cooperation and there are no agreements or announced projects regarding a dairy investment in Ogun State, Nigeria.”
In response to Baladna’s denial of any formal agreement with the Ogun State government, Governor Abiodun’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kayode Akinmade, has clarified that no deal has been signed.
The visit by Baladna’s team was a preliminary fact-finding mission, not a finalised investment agreement, Akinmade clarified in an interview with our correspondent, stating that “there is no signed agreement between Ogun State and Baladna.”
According to Akinmade, the state government presented its strengths, such as available land, proximity to Lagos, and a favourable investment climate, but the discussions were preliminary.
He also pushed back against suggestions that the visit was misrepresented, pointing to media coverage of the event.
He stated, “Nothing has been finalised. They came to explore opportunities; they came here to prospect about what they can bring to the table. So Ogun State also told them, okay, well, we have land, we have this. We are close to Lagos. We have this, and he will come and invest in our take you, multiply. It will be a win-win situation. Okay, it was covered on both TV and newspapers, unless the people who came in are not the true representatives of Baladna.”
