Unarguably, billionaire industrialist, AbdulSamad Rabiu is a firm believer in the enduring quote of American business mogul and author, Stephen Covey which says: “Moral authority comes from following universal and timeless principles like honesty, integrity, and treating people with respect.” For the founder and Chairman, BUA Group, he is one businessman who does his business with a human face and never will jeopardise his morality for anything. In recent weeks, there have been several attempts to blot the multi-billionaire mogul’s hard-earned reputation with wicked, feeble rumour of some illicit deals but Rabiu— who wears integrity like a badge of honour— has remained unassailable.
Several investigations have revealed that those tasteless unsubstantiated rumours are the handiwork of his enemies as a careful study of the inspirational life of the consummate businessman —who turned 63 penultimate Friday 4 August— shows that he has always been driven by determination and a clear vision; thus he wouldn’t get distracted by jejune rumours. Even in his entrepreneurship trajectory over the years, Rabiu has been sustained on the tripod of uncommon brilliance, strategic planning and faithfulness to the vision and mission of the company. His enterprising spirit of passion, unalloyed commitment, resilience and hard work has made him one of the most recognisable names in Africa as he sits atop what is arguably one of the continent’s largest business conglomerates. Not only that. Rabiu’s massive philanthropy in education, social development and healthcare —through his AbdulSamad Rabiu Africa Initiative, ASR Africa,— has positively changed lives, not only in Nigeria but also across Africa.
Since its inception in 2021, the organisation has dedicated a substantial sum of $100 million to the ASR initiative, underscoring its ambition to become a preeminent philanthropic force on the African continent. In 2022, Rabiu drew widespread attention with the launch of the Nigeria Security Support Fund, a groundbreaking $23.8 million endeavour. The fund aims to equip security personnel with essential resources, furnish medical supplies, and extend assistance to the families of soldiers engaged in the battle against terrorism in Nigeria’s northeast region. This donation is the most substantial philanthropic contribution by a Nigerian businessperson to date.
The Kano-born billionaire has extended this generous donation to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). About nine months ago, Rabiu gave a grant amounting to over $1 million to the NDLEA. But not done with his magnanimous gesture to the anti-narcotics agency, early this week, the industrialist made another contribution of 25 state-of-the-art operational vehicles valued at over N500 million to significantly enhance the agency’s capacity and reach. NDLEA’s receipt of Rabiu’s latest act of benevolence will substantially boost its operational endeavours in its responsibility of drug policy and control within Nigeria.