OpeOluwani Akintayo
05 September 2018, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Ladol, the operator of the Lagos free trade zone, has sent Samsung Heavy Industries, SHI, packing from its yard, SweetcrudeReports has learnt.
According to a source inside the yard, Ladol made the move after Samsung’s operating license expired.
And going by the laws of the free trade zone that no enterprise can operate there once its license expires and the Nigerian visas of expatriates brought in by the company also expire, the company would have to leave the country
Samsung was shown the way out by Ladol based on these.
We learnt that prior to the expiration of its operating license, Ladol gave SHI-MCI ample opportunity to comply with Nigerian laws by leaving on its own, but that the company failed to leave the yard, prompting Ladol to throw it out.
“Unfortunately they refused to do this and continued to breach several Nigerian laws, including those around local content and conditions of service for their Nigerian staff”, our source said.
“Government staff in Ladol reported that Samsung has always behaved as if it is above the laws of Nigeria. All the government agencies in the zone have had to raise serious issues with them on several occasions – most recently due to serious import and immigration violations”.
SweetcrudeReports also learnt Samsung is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board, NCDMB and the State Security Services, SSS, for fraud.
On the matter of the operating license, we learnt Samsung has taken the Free Zone Management and by extension NEPZA to court, and until this matter is settled in court and SHI MCI fully complies with Nigerian law, a new license can not be issued.
