Achimugu Says Oil Bloc Was Won Through Open Bidding, Not Selection

Socialite and businesswoman Aisha Achimugu has said her company legally acquired an oil bloc through a public auction process conducted between 2022 and 2024.

Achimugu made the disclosure on Monday during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television.

She said her company participated in two separate bid rounds: the deep offshore bid round held between 2022 and 2023, and a mini bid round that took place between 2023 and 2024.

"There are two bid processes that were at the deep offshore bid round that happened between 2022 and 2023 and there's another mini bid round that also happened between 2023 and 2024.

"We participated in this process. Like, you know, we are operating oil and gas company, because we have all the assets that we're dealing with, and because I'm very audacious and ambitious, I have the team to put to it.

"We went through that process, and by the grace of God, we won the process. Very transparently. It was a public process. It wasn't selected," she said.

Achimugu maintained that her company, which operates in the oil and gas sector, followed due process and completed both rounds in full compliance with applicable regulations.

Her comments come amid ongoing scrutiny by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had previously declared her wanted over allegations of money laundering and criminal conspiracy. The anti-graft agency also conducted a search of her residence as part of its investigation.

Achimugu had earlier pushed back against reports that $13 million was recovered from her home during the raid, saying only N13 million and $50,000 were found.