By Mike Ikem Umealo
Contrary to misinformation making the rounds, International Breweries Limited (IBL) formerly SABMiller….is not Mr. Peter Obi’s private investment.
As Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi invested ₦1.955 billion (about $12.6 million at the time) of state funds into Intafact Beverages Limited, established in 2012 by SABMiller in Onitsha. The state acquired a 10% equity stake….clearly in Anambra’s name, not Obi’s.
Let’s be clear: if Obi had invested his personal funds, even by proxy, it would’ve been a conflict of interest. But he didn’t. He made a transparent, strategic investment on behalf of the people.
Compare that to governors who used public funds to acquire assets privately or became “state landlords.” Obi, instead, cut the cost of governance and saved security votes…creating the financial space for such forward-thinking investments.
When AB InBev acquired SABMiller in 2017, Anambra’s stake was converted to 407 million shares in International Breweries Plc. Today, that stake is worth about ₦3.1 billion….up from the original ₦1.9 billion.
This investment is now:
Anambra’s highest revenue-generating enterprise
Largest tax-paying company in the state
Directly employing 600+ people and supporting 5,000+ jobs indirectly.
No so-called billionaire in Anambra matches IBL’s annual tax contribution…not even close.
IBL’s taxes now form a major part of Anambra’s internally generated revenue (IGR), empowering successive administrations to build and maintain infrastructure. That’s what strategic governance looks like.
And yet, some former governors….with little more than inflated egos and shallow legacies….have the audacity to question Obi’s qualifications for national leadership?
It’s tragic. These critics, armed with propaganda, target the uninformed, while Obi’s record speaks for itself: vision, fiscal discipline, and lasting impact.
Unlike many, his legacy is not in words…but in numbers, infrastructure, jobs, and tax revenue.
Peter Obi set a benchmark, not just for Anambra, but for governance across Nigeria.
If genuine leadership counts for anything, then he is more than qualified to lead a New Nigeria.
Let’s stop deceiving ourselves….two years is enough for any honest leader to transform this country. We’ve seen it before:
Michael Ọkpara, within six months, changed the Eastern Region.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, in just two years, left behind a record of reform and integrity.
When a President is not corrupt, and his circle knows it, the ripple effect transforms the system….elections, institutions, and public trust.
That is how nations grow….not by chance, but by vision, courage, and clean leadership.
A New Nigeria is POssible. And Peter Obi is ready to lead it.
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