President Bola Tinubu-led administration has inked a memorandum of understanding with Messrs MPH Rail Development (UK) Ltd, an obscure construction company,  which was until Friday directed by former speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji. 

This partnership aims to spearhead the construction of the highly anticipated Port Harcourt – Abuja railway line, marking a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s transportation infrastructure.

Mr Ikuforiji is a close associate of the president, with the duo’s parley widely acknowledged from his time as speaker, which began during Mr Tinubu’s last two years as Lagos governor.

The collaboration, sealed during the past week, came to light through an announcement from the Federal Ministry of Transportation’s official X account. 

Senator Said Alkali, acting on behalf of the Nigerian government, formally signed the MoU, outlining the scope of responsibilities encompassing the design, construction, operation, and eventual transfer of the Port Harcourt–Enugu–Calabar–Abuja Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Line under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework.

“The Minister of Transportation, Sen. Said Alkali, on behalf of @NigeriaGov, has signed an MoU with Messrs MPH Rail Development (UK) Limited for the design, construction, operation and transfer of the Port Harcourt–Enugu –Calabar–Abuja SGR Line on a PPP basis,” the post made last Wednesday read. 

However, the revelation of MPH Rail Development’s connection to Mr Ikuforiji, known for his close ties to Mr Tinubu, ignited a storm of criticism and allegations of nepotism and corruption.

This controversy further fuelled existing scepticism surrounding Mr Tinubu’s administration, with detractors asserting that lucrative contracts consistently find their way to his inner circle, often referred to as the “Lagos cowboys.” This term harks back to Mr Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos governor, where his confidants wielded significant influence and now appear to dominate considerations for federal contracts and agency leadership roles.

Mr Ikuforiji resigned his directorship following criticism on Friday, but public scrutiny intensified, with questions arising regarding transparency, fair competition, and adherence to procurement standards over the Port Harcourt – Abuja railway project.