General Manager of National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, Kabir Yusuf, has said that the concession process for the fallow land around the National Theatre has reached the stage where pre-qualified bidders will be issued request for proposal (RFP).
At a briefing last Wednesday, he also said the reports on social media and some newspapers that the theatre has been sold were a mere rumours.
“We have not sold the National Theatre and we are not going to sell it,” he said, explaining that this is why they embarked on a road show in Lagos, London, Dubai and Johannesburg to speak with investors, prior to the bids which were opened on December 22, 2014.
“It is in line with the masterplan for ‘Nigerian Entertainment City’ which we want to create through Public-Private Partnership (PPP), in accordance with the Infrastructure Concession Reconstruction Commission (ICRC) Act 2005,” he added.
The four investor road shows, according to him, held on November 6 in Lagos, November 13 and 14 in London, November 16 and 17 in Dubai, while the Johannesburg one took place on December 1 and 2 last year.
Yusuf stated that 10 consortia indicated interest to participate in the PPP project to provide the following complimentary facilities: a five star hotel and an international standard shopping mall.
Others are a multi-level car park, land and water recreation parks, office buildings and a facility management team.
Yusuf said: “The consortia that submitted pre-qualification documents were Resilient Africa Propriety Ltd, CCECC Nigeria Ltd, Afrebay USA, Quippo Energy Nigeria Private Ltd and Neon Holdings Consortium.
“Others include Trevari Group, Causeway Project Ltd, Calzada Ltd. RMB Westport and Chrismichaels Ltd/Topwide Apeas.”
Seven companies emerged pre-qualified bidders. They are: Resilient Africa Propriety Ltd, CCECC Nigeria Ltd, Quippo Energy Nigeria Private Ltd, Neon Holdings Consortium, Calzada Ltd and RMB Westport.
These seven companies, he said, are the ones to be issued with the RFP in continuation of the process.
About the National Theatre’s tenants, he said everyone of them has been relocated, except the National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN) that will continue to keep its offices at the National Theatre.
He further stated that the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), which rents office space to the artistes around the theatre, has since stopped.
The representative of BGL Capital Ltd, Odulami Kehinde, the concession handlers, said they would look for financially viable companies to handle the projects.
“They will design and build the projects, choose and document every step from take-off to the last finishing,” he said.
The construction of the National Theatre was completed in 1976, in preparation for the Second World Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in 1977.
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