Abuja — There were clouds yesterday over the $2.5 billion planned sale of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) following the denial by China Unicom of involvement in the bid.

Unicom's spokeswoman Sophia Tso told Reuters that there's no involvement of this project from the parent company, the listed company or any subsidiary of the company."

But Usman Gumi, managing director of GiCell Wireless limited and Authorised Representative of the New Generation Consortium Limited, said in a statement made available to Daily Trust that the Chinese firm showed interest in providing technical and managerial support.

He also showed Daily Trust a document which he said was a commitment letter by the Chinese firm based on a consideration of a minimum of 20% equity participation on terms to be agreed.

Gumi said "the financial backbone of the New Generation Consortium is the Minerva Group of United Arab Emirates and they have what it takes to turn

around NITEL and give Nigerians good telecommunication services."

He said the Minerva Group, not China Unicom is the lead financial partner of New Generation Consortium Limited.

However, shortly after the denial of involvement in the bid by Unicom, officials at Minerva FZ, Minerva Traders LLC and Minerva Middle East in the Dubai International Financial Centre told Reuters that they were not involved in the deal. Reuters also said that calls to Minerva General Trading were not immediately answered.

Spokesman of the Bureau of Public Enterprises Joe Anichebe said the bid is still on. He also corroborated what Gumi said, that Unicom's European office had sent a letter offering technical support should the bid succeed and also the possibility of taking a 20 percent equity stake.

When Daily Trust drew the attention of Gumi about a purported denial of involvement in the bid by the Minerva group, he said: "The Minerva Group which we deal with has no website. Reuters must have contacted the wrong group in Dubai."

He also wondered why people should be skeptical about the transaction, adding that the BPE couldn't have qualified them without passing the necessary process.