Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River State has revoked the concession agreement granted to CIBA Construction Company Limited for the management of Obudu Cattle Ranch due to contractual breaches.

The termination was confirmed in a letter signed by the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice, Ededem Ani, stating that CIBA failed to meet its key obligations, particularly in renovating the resort’s hotel and other critical infrastructure. According to Ani, the company repeatedly neglected its responsibilities despite multiple breaches, leaving the government with no option but to terminate the agreement with immediate effect.

Following the revocation, Governor Otu directed the Special Adviser and CEO of Obudu Ranch Resort, Sunday Michael, and other relevant stakeholders to implement measures to restore and revamp the facility. Michael, while confirming the termination, explained that the 25-year concession was signed in 2017 under former Governor Ben Ayade. The agreement required CIBA to finance, develop, operate, and maintain the ranch under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. However, its failure to fulfill these commitments led to the government reclaiming control.

Obudu Cattle Ranch, also known as Obudu Mountain Resort, was originally established in 1951 by Scottish rancher M. McCaughey. It was later transformed into a premier tourist destination by the Donald Duke administration between 1999 and 2007. Duke upgraded the road network, built luxury chalets, installed cable cars, and modernized the resort’s infrastructure, making it a top attraction. However, subsequent administrations failed to maintain and expand on these developments, leading to deteriorating facilities and reduced patronage.

With this decision, the Cross River government aims to restore the ranch to its former glory and reposition it as a leading tourist attraction in Nigeria.