Category: FAQ

Our attention has been drawn to a misleading media report linking Sahara Energy Resource Limited to non-payment of royalties. Please see link below:

https://punchng.com/oil-royalties-sahara-tevier-nlng-others-owe-fg-68-6m/

We would like to state categorically for the record that Sahara Energy is not responsible for the monies mentioned in the article, and we do not have any royalties due to the Government, as falsely stated in the report.

We state the following for the record:

The asset in question is OML 148, which we took over as operators in Q4 of 2017, recording our first lifting in Q1 2018.

Prior to this, the asset was being operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

We did appear as requested before House of Assembly Investigative Committee on the issue.

At the session, we explained to the House that Sahara Energy was not the operator of the asset for the period under review, and that any monies that may be outstanding would be due from NPDC and not Sahara.

This submission was admitted accordingly by the House, effectively clearing Sahara Energy.

Sahara Group, in line with our membership of the World Economic Forum’s Partnership Against Corruption Initiative (PACI), upholds the highest level of integrity and transparency in all its operations.

Our attention has been drawn to a choreographed smear campaign being sponsored by a supposed credible news online portal; The Zambia Watchdog which remains faceless.

Their most recent article is a totally baseless and false story tagged: “Sahara Energy appoints Richard Sakala as spin doc, hosts Zambian journalists” – which was published on the site on July 12, 2017 (https://www.zambiawatchdog.com/sahara-energy- appoints-richard-sakala-as-spin-doc-hosts-zambian-journalists/).

 We here by state the following for the records;

We state categorically that; The Sahara Group has at no time appointed Richard Sakala or any other individual/organization in Zambia or in any other jurisdictions to execute any media projects or other media relations activities on its behalf.

The claim in the article that $2 million was paid for the alleged engagement is utterly false, baseless and at variance with Sahara’s unwavering commitment to business integrity.

Sahara Group has a robust corporate communications department that interacts with its various stakeholders as is standard practice for leading conglomerates across the globe.

As part of our commitment to transparency, Sahara Group routinely invites and also takes up requests from reporters from the print, electronic and digital media to tour its facilities and operations across the globe. These tours provide an opportunity for the media to have first-hand experience of the Sahara Brand and to obtain first-hand information on the Group’s activities. This is a standard media relations practice across the globe, especially for leading conglomerates like Sahara whose operations cover diverse cultures and markets.

Sahara has in the past had interactions with news organizations from countries in which we operate, including but not limited to Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Zambia, Cameroon, United States of America, Tanzania, South Africa, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

Some of these media organizations have included, but not limited to: The Economist, Bloomberg, Reuters, Financial Times, Cable Network News (CNN), the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Forbes Africa, CNBC Africa, Joy FM Ghana, Daily Graphic Ghana, The Guardian Tanzania, Business Times Zambia, Channels TV, Nigerian Television Authority, TVC Africa, Guardian, ThisDay, Punch and News Agency of Nigeria, among other media organizations in our locations.

Sahara has severally reiterated its commitment to zero tolerance for political donations – a position that is backed by a policy that guides every member of staff. Please click here to see our previous response on the issue.

It is important to add that in recognition of Sahara’s commitment to spearheading good governance towards rebuilding trust and integrity in business in Africa, one of its Directors, Mr. Tonye Cole recently became a member of the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Trust and Integrity Project”. Sahara is also a member of the WEF’s Partnership Against Corruption Initiative (PACI).

As a leading African energy and infrastructure conglomerate, we remain committed to collaborating with stakeholders across the globe in the quest for promoting business integrity, transparency, and sustainable development.

Our attention has been drawn to a false publication by societynow.ng alleging the freezing of accounts belong to Enageed Resource Limited, a Sahara Group affiliate.

Please see link below to the article sensationally titled: “Court Freezes Sahara Group Subsidiary Enageed Resources Bank Accounts, Stops Directors Tonye Cole, Tope Shonubi & Ade Odunsi From Receiving Payments From 12 Banks Over $1.9m Debt”

Court Freezes Sahara Group Subsidiary Enageed Resources Bank Accounts, Stops Directors Tonye Cole, Tope Shonubi & Ade Odunsi From Receiving Payments From 12 Banks Over $1.9m Debt | SocietyNow

Sahara Group would like to state for the record that the said publication was possibly sourced from the publication by HOBARK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED in the Guardian Newspaper of Friday, 24th 2017 indicating certain Ex-parte orders of Mareva Injunction obtained by Hobark International Limited in SUIT NO: FHC/L/CP/25/2017 between Hobark International Limited V. Enageed Resource Limited.

We affirm that the Ex-parte orders published by HOBARK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED were obtained behind our back and by inter alia misrepresentation of facts to the Court. Sahara subsequently filed processes in the Court to set aside the said orders and to strike out the suit for want of jurisdiction or stay the suit and resort to arbitration. The publication by Hobark International Limited was made after it had been served with Sahara’s applications.

The case was a commercial dispute between Enageed and Hobark with respect to a service agreement and both parties have since agreed to an out of court settlement of the matter. The case has since been resolved.

Please see attached judgement for your reference (CTC of Consent Judgement).

We implore our business partners, customers, and the public to kindly disregard the ill-intended publication by societynow.ng as the assertion that the company’s accounts were frozen is utterly false.

Sahara continues to bring energy to life responsibly, making a difference across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

 

Our attention has been drawn to the online reportsafrique.com publication with respect to the Rivers State Government judicial enquiry white paper on the probe of the former Rivers State Governor – “documents indict Rotimi Amaechi over N96billion corruption document”

We would like to state for the record that we have carried out a comprehensive reconciliation exercise with the Rivers State Government (RSG) and that the RSG are satisfied that they have received all payments with respect to the purchase of a stake in the First Independent Power Limited power plant in Rivers State.

Please click on the Rivers State Government link to access the details.

Our attention has been drawn to a misleading report on societynow.ng citing reputational issues regarding Sahara.

Titled “Sahara Energy’s Tonye Cole In Messy Battle To Keep Business Together”, the article bears the unprofessional trademark of faceless online tabloids like societynow.ng reputed for peddling fake news. Please see link below:

Sahara Energy’s Tonye Cole In Messy Battle To Keep Business Together! | SocietyNow

Sahara would like to state for the record that the said article is utterly false as Sahara has always operated in compliance with the highest global standards across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, establishing the brand as a foremost energy conglomerate across these jurisdictions.

We affirm that the article is riddled with false claims sourced from phony portals, which at best, makes it a figment of the author’s imagination.

Sahara states for the record that in strict compliance with our anti-graft policy, Sahara has never offered or pledged funds/support nor made any donation to any persons, political organisation/group. Neither has Sahara – under any guise – given funds to promote political causes of individual(s) or group(s). Our business is conducted in line with the values espoused by the Partnering Against Crime Initiative (PACI) of the World Economic Forum.

The fabricated story makes disingenuous reference to subsidy and ATK sale as foothold for its false claims. These are issues which we have since addressed. Please see links below:

SUBSIDY

Nigerian Fuel Subsidy Probe – Sahara Exonerated – Sahara Group (sahara-group.com)

ATK

Sahara Group’s Position on ATK Sales – Sahara Group (sahara-group.com)

Finally, the assertion that Sahara is having issues with its businesses is false as we continue to bring energy to life responsibly across markets – on the strength of our hard-earned reputation.

We urge our stakeholders and the public to disregard the story in its entirety.

Our attention has been drawn to online media reports sourced from a Press Statement credited to the Ekiti State Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

We are particularly disturbed by a portion of the statement that made a misleading and incorrect link between Sahara Energy and election donations: “Most importantly, Nigerians are interested in the $60 million allegedly donated to the APC campaign by Sahara Energy, on which EFCC has been forced to suspend investigation.”

Sahara is guided by a robust and well-documented donations policy that clearly states that: “THE COMPANY DOES NOT MAKE POLITICAL DONATIONS; NEITHER DOES IT SPONSOR POLITICAL EVENTS ON BEHALF OF ANY POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.”

Please click on the Sahara Group not involved in political donations link to access the details.

Our attention was brought to an online publication by the Guardian newspaper in Tanzania alleging that Sahara had been suspended in Nigeria for “profiteering” and faced the possibility of sanctions by Tanzania’s Petroleum Importation Coordinator (PIC) for the supply of substandard gasoline under the bulk procurement system.

The misleading and false profiteering allegation was sourced from media reports in Nigeria. Please see explanation below (Sahara faults DPR suspension order).

On January 1, 2016, Sahara received a letter from the Petroleum Bulk Procurement Agency of Tanzania informing it of the non-conformity to the Tanzanian standard of the MOGAS with delivery laycan of 23

– 25 December 2015. It has been ascertained that the cargo in question had been confirmed by a reliable Third-Party supplier and inspection agents to be in compliance with the standards in Tanzania.

Sahara remains a leading Oil Marketing Company in Tanzania and has participated in subsequent tenders after the replacement of the cargo.

Please click on the Tanzania MOGAS Supply link to access the details

 On December 9, 2015, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) issued a letter to Sahara Energy Resource Limited (SERL) informing the company that they had been selling PMS above the stipulated government approved price.

 Sahara’s response to the letter on December 9, 2015, clearly showed that the company could possibly not have been selling PMS above the government approved price as it had zero stock in its storage facilities during the period in question. Sahara followed up its letter to the DPR with a press release faulting the DPR’s allegation. This was widely circulated. The purported suspension was never enforced as Sahara was cleared by the DPR.

Please click on the Sahara faults DPR suspension order link to access the details.