by Linda Straker
- Aisha Achimugu’s company, Oceangate Oil and Gas Engineering, signed $1.8 billion oil deal in Grenada
- Achimugu wanted by Nigeria’s EFCC declared over alleged money laundering
- In 2024, Achimugu donated 250 backpacks to Ministry of Education and announced funding 5 scholarships in Grenada
Businesswoman Aisha Achimugu, one of the thousands of Nigerians approved as citizens of Grenada under the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme by the Dickon Mitchell administration, was recently declared wanted by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Data from the Investment Migration Agency (IMA) shows that Nigerians are among the top nationals to be approved as Grenadians by the CBI Committee for 2024. The other top country is China.
A notice on the EFCC’s social media page said that 51-year-old Achimugu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Felak Concept Group, is wanted for alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering. She is described as “an indigene of Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State and her last known address is 6C, Rudolf Close, Maitama, Abuja.” An “indigene of Ofu” refers to a person who can trace their ethnic and genealogical roots back to the community of people who originally settled in the Ofu area, whether it’s a village, town, or island. The Felak Concept Group is a technical and professional consortium comprising about 8 active companies operating in various sectors and industries such as engineering, maritime, oil and gas, ICT learning and development, and other leading fields.
Achimugu visited Grenada in January 2024, months after being approved by an application made through Frontage Global Concepts Ltd. The purpose of the visit was to celebrate her 50th birthday with 7 days of celebration, which included performances by top Nigerian entertainers at 2 top hotels in the south of the island. The businesswoman later donated 250 school supply backpacks to the Ministry of Education and announced that she would fund 5 scholarships in Grenada.
A Government Information Service (GIS) Facebook posting dated 7 March 2024 said that Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education with responsibility for Human Resources and Educational Development, Elvis Morain, journeyed to the privately owned Calivigny Island in Grenada to receive the donation. At the ceremony to hand over the backpacks, Achiumugu spoke of her charitable endeavours and the motivation behind her social responsibility. “It’s my honour to start my charity by giving back on the education front,” she said. “Education has put me where I am, and privilege has put me where I am. So, it’s important that I put back what I’ve gotten into humanity, and I think they will do better if they have education,” she is quoted as saying in the GIS release.
According to the website Billionaires of Africa, “Nigeria’s EFCC declared Aisha Achimugu wanted over alleged money laundering linked to a $1.8 billion oil project in Grenada” and, “before declaring her wanted, the EFCC had summoned Achimugu to appear at its Port Harcourt office on 5 March over allegations of money laundering and a high-profile investment scam. She failed to show up.” The website, which focuses on news about Africa’s billionaires, stated: “Amid speculation about political ties, the commission dismissed claims linking its investigation to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. It stressed that Achimugu was being investigated strictly for financial crimes and that politics had nothing to do with the case.”
Achimugu’s company, Oceangate Oil and Gas Engineering, signed a $1.8 billion oil deal in Grenada before she was declared wanted. In October 2024, Oceangate signed a major deal with Global Petroleum Group (GPG). The agreement focused on developing offshore oil and gas resources near Grenada, and the website said that the $1.8 billion project is backed by a 38-year production-sharing agreement with Grenada’s government.
“Covering more than 7,500 square kilometres of offshore blocks, the deal is expected to boost Grenada’s position in the Caribbean energy sector,” according to an updated story posted after Achimugu was declared wanted by Nigeria’s EFCC, which is described as a non-partisan and non-sectarian agency.
The Government of Grenada is yet to issue a statement about one of its citizens being declared wanted by a law enforcement agency in the country of her birth. No public records show that her citizenship has been revoked by the minister responsible for citizenship.
It’s already happening, the EU is about to ban our visa free travel. Why do we sell ourselves and do business with individuals who are clearly not legit? These shortcuts never pay off.
Soon there will be all sort of criminals running around with Grenadian passports.
We can expect no less when the gatekeepers for our passports have become the sellers of our passports.
Wake up Grenada; always stand firm for what is right and not for people who are hiding behind “political colours”.
Is anyone actually surprised about this development?
Just surprised its taken this long. To the moderator at now Grenada. Let free speech be free speech
Its only a matter of time before Grenada is blacklisted by the international community and the poorer citizens will feel it most. Why are we getting into bed with one of the most corrupted countries where even other African nations are afraid of Nigerians puzzles me. Nigerians got too much corruption and they aren’t nice people to others at all.