SCOA Nigeria Defends Massad Boulos’ Integrity Amid Trump Appointment Backlash
SCOA Nigeria Plc has rejected recent media reports criticising the appointment of its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Massad Boulos, as Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs to the United States President-elect Donald Trump, describing them as “baseless and misguided.”
The firm called the attacks a smear campaign driven by individuals who were unaware of his significant achievements in business and leadership, unfairly targeting his professional accomplishments and character.
Boulos, a Lebanese-American businessman and father-in-law to Trump’s daughter, Tiffany, has been under scrutiny since his nomination.
But providing more answers, the Non-Executive Independent Director and Chairman of Audit Committee, SCOA Nigeria Plc, Mr Magnus Onyibe, in a statement on Sunday, described the conglomerate owner as a highly accomplished businessman with a proven track record of delivering exceptional results across various industries.
The statement titled, “Celebrating the Legacy of Mr Massad Boulos’s Leadership at SCOA Nigeria Plc”, highlighted Boulos’s pivotal role in steering the company to its current status as a key player in Nigeria’s industrial and economic sectors.
He added that the serial investor is an expert at executing complex international transactions and facilitating trade between Nigeria, France, and Germany.
The statement read in part, “Recent media criticisms questioning the breadth of experience and business acumen of Mr Massad Boulos, the incoming Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs to US President-elect Donald Trump, are not only misguided but also dismissive of the remarkable track record of both the man and the companies he has been instrumental in nurturing.
Contrary to unfounded claims in certain media outlets, the suggestion that Mr Boulos is not a billionaire is both baseless and misleading. As President-elect Donald Trump rightly described, Mr. Massad Boulos is a “deal-maker,” a characterisation grounded in fact.
“His proven ability to negotiate and execute complex international transactions has facilitated significant partnerships between Nigerian, German, and French businesses, delivering substantial value and mutual benefit.
“His ability to navigate the complexities of international commerce, exemplified by the supply of a significant fleet of trucks to Lafarge Africa through a tripartite arrangement between a logistics firm, GPC and Union Bank Plc, has earned him widespread recognition and respect.”
The statement further highlighted the activities of the businessman in Nigeria.
It continued, “Mr Boulos’s leadership has not only been vital to SCOA Plc’s achievements but also to the broader international business successes of the FADOUL Group.
“This is precisely the kind of experience and strategic vision he brings to his new role as Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs to President-elect Trump.
“ The truth remains that Mr. Boulos played a pivotal role in mobilising the Arab-American and Middle Eastern-American vote, contributing significantly to the Trump-Vance victory—an achievement that underscores his political and organizational acumen.
Efforts to denigrate Mr. Boulos’s qualifications and achievements are not only futile but also a disservice to the facts. Mr. Boulos’s expertise and accomplishments are well-suited for his new role, where he will undoubtedly deliver impactful results on behalf of President-elect Trump and the United States.”
Onyibe further explained that under Boulos’s leadership, SCOA Nigeria Plc has cemented its position as a leading supplier of trucks, power generators, agricultural equipment, and construction machinery.
He added that the company serves major clients, including Julius Berger, Lafarge Africa, Dangote Group, and others, supporting critical infrastructure projects like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kano highway.
According to him, SCOA has also played a role in transformative projects such as Eko Atlantic City, providing machinery essential to the development of the urban project set to host the world’s largest US. Embassy.
The statement continued, “For instance, SCOA Nigeria Plc, where Mr. Boulos serves as Managing Director/CEO, is far from being just another company. It is a formidable force in Nigeria’s industrial and economic landscape.
“With roots spanning over four decades, it holds the distinction of being the first European automotive assembly plant in Nigeria.
“In the 1970s, SCOA Nigeria PLC made a name for itself by assembling Peugeot 404 and then 504 pickup trucks at its assembly plant at Apapa, Lagos and service centre at its Lapal House facility on Lagos Island. Today, the company continues this proud legacy, assembling, distributing, and marketing M.A.N trucks and buses, power generators, tractors, agricultural equipment, industrial equipment and other heavy-duty construction and mining machinery critical to Nigeria’s key sectors.
