Most of us first heard of Nigerian entrepreneur Kase Lawal when he was featured in Black Enterprise magazine in 2002. His company, Camac topped their prestigious list of America’s top 100 black-owned firms in 2002.
Its been a few years since that but Camac and Kase have kept up the pace. CNN African Voices interviews Mr. Lawal and delves into his trajectory, he shares the story of how he built his company and the non-profit activities that he is currently involved in, specifically promoting entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth. Definitely an interesting feature.

[flash=400,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/Z0jO-lx5-DI[/flash]

I kinda see him as an American really even with his thick Nigerian accent. I see him as an African American.

but good for him and black americans.
FUK him and his bros tho

sjeezy8:

I kinda see him as an American really even with his think Nigerian accent. I see him as an African American.

but good for him and black americans.
FUK him and his bros tho

Why

asha 80:

Why

its personal fuk him and his bro yo. with his fat head

lol lemmi stop hating on him- with his fat head.

Good for him- I too will have my own business based in America also- and be a sort of a Low key business man like Kase lawal. unlike Adenuga Dangote and co . . .

He lives his life in peace

He's far more of an authentic business man than all the Dangotes and Adenugas who are fronting businesses for ex-military generals.

4 Play:

He's far more of an authentic business man than all the Dangotes and Adenugas who are fronting businesses for ex-military generals.

How do you know he is not fronting for the same people?

^ Retard - You are jealous too much. Where is teh gibo equivalent of Ogunlesi

SEFAGO:

^ Retard - You are jealous too much. Where is teh gibo equivalent of Ogunlesi

By David J. Lynch, USA TODAY
HOUSTON — Whatever mental image is conjured up by the words "Texas oilman," it's safe to say that Kase Lawal isn't it.
A devout Muslim, Lawal, 52, doesn't drink or smoke. The Nigerian-born executive exudes an unflappable calm whether discussing racism in America, spiraling political violence in his homeland or the intricacies of the oil business.

J.R. Ewing, he's not.

Yet, CAMAC International, the privately held independent oil and gas company Lawal founded two decades ago, today boasts $1.5 billion in annual revenue, 300 employees and offices on three continents.

Teaming with some of the biggest names in the global oil business, Lawal has prospered by zeroing in on difficult environments, including Nigeria, where militants in recent months intensified their attacks on oil facilities and kidnapped foreign workers, and his next objective, Venezuela, home to anti-American President Hugo Chavez.

"I've been very lucky in the partnerships I've been involved in. … More importantly, it has been the blessing of God," Lawal says.

Lawal's unlikely path from Ibadan, a city of 3.8 million people in western Nigeria, to success as an energy-industry entrepreneur illustrates the unsung role of foreign-born talent in the USA's innovation-era economy. More than 25% of the engineering and technology companies launched in the decade ending 2005 were started by foreign-born executives, according to a new Duke University study.

Lawal's tale is also a reminder that a knack for adjusting on the fly is as essential for would-be business mavens as following a fixed blueprint.

Lawal first came to this country as a college student in 1972, his imagination fired by John Wayne movies and the civil rights struggle then unfolding in the United States. His goal at the time was utterly pedestrian: a job that would leave time for family life and ultimately provide a decent pension.

Starting in business

But while studying for an MBA, Lawal became intrigued by the possibility of helming his own operation. Then, on a long-haul airplane flight from Africa to Europe, he happened to sit next to a university professor from Cameroon, Nigeria's neighbor, who was looking for someone to supply American tobacco for a new cigarette factory.

Returning to Houston, Lawal, then a research chemist for Dresser Industries, spent months researching the tobacco business in his spare time. Finally, he sent price quotes to the professor, who gave the go-ahead for a purchase.

That was the good news. "The bad news was, I didn't know how to buy tobacco. I don't have money or financing," Lawal says in an interview on the 22nd floor of an office tower in Houston's tony Galleria neighborhood.

That didn't stop him. Lawal found a tobacco supplier in Springfield, Mo., who agreed to extend credit. Over a traditional Ozarks dinner of chicken-fried steak slathered with thick gravy, Lawal sealed the deal that launched the Cameroon-American Company (CAMAC).

For four years, he concentrated on securing financing from the government's Export-Import Bank and hiring commodities experts who knew everything Lawal didn't about his new industry.

"The management team — that was the key partnership," Lawal says. "It's the bedrock of our organization."

A turning point for the young company came in 1989, when Rilwanu Lukman, then foreign minister of Nigeria who later became secretary general of the oil producers' cartel OPEC, visited Houston. At a Rotary Club meeting, Lukman told him the Nigerian government wanted to spur development of a local energy industry. With his knowledge of Nigeria and his Houston address, Lawal was ideally positioned to attract major oil companies, Lawal says Lukman told him.

Lawal approached 19 major oil companies in the USA and Europe, looking for partners. But with West Africa only beginning to appear on oil industry maps, unsolicited proposals from an unknown commodities salesman with no oil patch experience elicited predictable responses. "They all laughed at us," he recalls.

Lawal knew he had to get beyond cold calls. To make contacts, he borrowed a friend's membership card and began loitering around a country club frequented by golf-playing oilmen. He eventually met a senior vice president at Conoco, who put him in touch with the firm's CEO, Dino Nicandros.

Conoco deal key

In the 1970s, Conoco had been burned by a West African middleman who had promised more than he could deliver, so Nicandros was wary. But after thoroughly vetting Lawal, even checking him out with the local police department, Nicandros dispatched a team to investigate the Nigerian program. In 1991, Conoco and CAMAC agreed to jointly operate and share production from any Nigerian discoveries. "It was perhaps the turning point in the life of this organization," Lawal says.

CAMAC later added as partners on other projects British Petroleum, Eni/Agip and the Norwegian state-owned oil company, Statoil. Lawal expanded into Colombia and has plans to add Venezuela, though Nigeria remains the core of the business. The company expects to begin drilling its latest well there within a week, says Joseph Alex Loftus, executive vice president.

The oil majors bring technical expertise and deep financial pockets. CAMAC brings political contacts, local market knowledge and some cash to these deals. "This little company actually has foreign experience producing oil in Nigeria, which is different than just serving as a local partner," says Monica Enfield, an analyst for the consultancy PFC Energy.

Over the years, CAMAC's revenues have climbed from $114 million in 1999 to $1.5 billion today. In November, CAMAC ranked 272nd on Forbes' list of the top privately held companies in the USA.

For Lawal, CAMAC's success has translated into both wealth and stature. He and his wife, Eileen, live in a 14-room, 15,264-square-foot house appraised at $3.5 million. The "me" wall in his conference room features photographs of Lawal with former president Bill Clinton, whom he accompanied on a 1998 trip to Africa, and flanked by former president George Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush. In 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo spent two hours in Lawal's office shortly before returning to Nigeria to contest democratic presidential elections, which he won.

"(Lawal) has the ability to open doors that have been shut for a very long time," says state Sen. Rodney Ellis, who attended the meeting. "He's a shrewd businessman."

Today, Lawal delegates the day-to-day running of CAMAC while he concentrates on public service work and a new commercial venture. Though he plays down his experience with racism as not overly "injurious," Lawal acknowledges still-vivid memories of the trouble he had securing financing as a minority-owned start-up. In 2005, he acquired Unity National Bank, the only black-owned bank in Texas, and is relaunching it as a financial institution catering to minority-owned businesses.

What keeps him going? "I'm always, always very scared and afraid of failure," he says. "There's no complacency here. You cannot — because the moment you have that sense, you've lost it."

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2007-01-08-entre-lawal_x.htm



Seems like the man did have a connection with people in the government and that is how he made much of his money.

This is a serious question^^^ So does this mean that Bill clinton is corrupt also for having connection with Mr. Lawal?

I personally dont like the guy and his bros but I have to give credit where its due. Kudos to Kase Lawal and his fat head.

So what was the point of the article? You make money through connections, and luck mate. I doubt anyone made their money through ultimate sheer hardwork. Kase Lawal was at the right place at the right time

mekusxxx:

How do you know he is not fronting for the same people?

^^may God dont let you die of envy of yoruba.can you please mention those he's fronting for and for the record,yayale held a meeting with him during jonathan's visit to the US.

Eze is an idiot- lol

I dont like lawal but I respect him for not sticking to the usually Nigerian Oil- like alot of so called "Nigerian businessmen" who dont have multinational corporations .

sjeezy8:


Two decades later, CAMAC's search for energy resources and investments has taken group affiliates to Russia, Ghana, South Africa, Colombia, Malaysia, Great Britain, Congo, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Ireland, Angola, and Kenya. CAMAC International provides added value for our transactional partners, who benefit from our unique perspective on West Africa, and from the strong networks and relationships we've established around the world.

sounds good

He's far more of an authentic business man than all the Dangotes and Adenugas who are fronting businesses for ex-military generals.-4PLAY

How do you know he is not fronting for the same people?- Mekusxxx

^^may God dont let you die of envy of yoruba.can you please mention those he's fronting for and for the record,yayale held a meeting with him during jonathan's visit to the US.- Bluetooth

No I am not envious. I am asking the same question that 4 pplay asked of Adenuga and Dangote. You are stu-pid, how many meetings have the govt not held with Adenuga and the rest of the fronters?-Mekuszyx

A turning point for the young company came in 1989, when Rilwanu Lukman, then foreign minister of Nigeria who later became secretary general of the oil producers' cartel OPEC, visited Houston. At a Rotary Club meeting, Lukman told him the Nigerian government wanted to spur development of a local energy industry. With his knowledge of Nigeria and his Houston address, Lawal was ideally positioned to attract major oil companies, Lawal says Lukman told him.

There lies the connection. We do not expect Kase Lawal to say he is fronting for anyone, but we also know that Rilwanu is fronting for the same people
BTW, Emeka Offor is also fronting for them. They are all fronts.

One of Emeka Offor's Companies. But he is in the background

http://www.erhc.com/

http://elendureports.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=167
http://elendureports.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=119&Itemid=1

^^^ you are very alarming . . give credit where its due.



and listen to the interview on what he says about being Legit and being an advisor to Clinton and Bush on African affairs.

Hes ranked in America as a bllionaire (or his comapny) and isnt a mike adenuga or emeka offor guy

Emeka Offor's company is also based in Houston as well as holding the franchise for oil exploration in Sao Tome and Principe

Sjeazy8. I have no business with both Lawal annd Offor, but we all know they front for the real people. BTW, Emeka Offor is also ranked as a billionaire in dollars. Read Sahara reporters.

Still on Emeka Offor

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emailform&id=2041

mekuszyx:

He's far more of an authentic business man than all the Dangotes and Adenugas who are fronting businesses for ex-military generals.-4PLAY

How do you know he is not fronting for the same people?- Mekusxxx

^^may God dont let you die of envy of yoruba.can you please mention those he's fronting for and for the record,yayale held a meeting with him during jonathan's visit to the US.- Bluetooth

How many meetings have the govt not held with Adenuga and the rest of the fronters?-Mekuszyx

I guess he also fronted for CLINTON and BARBARA BUSH.omg,what do you call a businessman,mekus ?

If he were American or European, he would be on the Forbes list of the 400 richest people in the world. He estimates his net worth at three billion dollars ($3 billion), although a recent report obtained by Elendureports.com, puts his net worth at about six billion dollars ($6 billion). This former “Julius Berger truck driver” claims to have been a former petty contractor until fortune smiled at him. He reportedly was given a nineteen million naira contract in 1983, and thus opened the gates to unimaginable wealth.

Naija Naija Naija

If thought mekxsss there would be no real business men in the world only fronters.

and even if hes a fronter hes really good at it - to fool United states of America Bill clinton and George Bush and the IRS CNN news, Fox News, Forbes magazine, Times Magazine, Black enterprise, Usa today magazine.

lol that meksxxx guy is prbably searching the internet for anything against the Kase Guy.

~Bluetooth:

I guess he also fronted for CLINTON and BARBARA BUSH.omg,what do you call a businessman,mekus ?

A business man is somebody who does business. It is not defined by who actually owns the business. Both Lawal and Offor are fronters but I also expect them to be intrinsic part of the business after fronting for so many years. It is good for them, though, they are employing naijas.

mekuszyx:

A business man is somebody who does business. It is not defined by who actually owns the business. Both Lawal and Offor are fronters but I also expect them to be intrinsic part of the business after fronting for so many years. It is good for them, though, they are employing naijas.

However Offor is not in the same class as Kase Lawal. Stop comparing apples to oranges mekusxyz

@ post Kase has done well but im more inspired by Bayo Ogunlesi. Well read and didnt start as abusinessman but a lawyer under Thurgood Marshall- Attnded oxford and Harvard graduated with JD and MBA

Moreon Emeka Offor
http://www.ocnus.net/cgi-bin/exec/view.cgi?archive=101&num=25989

He appears to be rich and well connected even in the US like kase LAWAL, though both are fronters.

SEFAGO:

However Offor is not in the same class as Kase Lawal. Stop comparing apples to oranges mekusxyz

Sefago

How do you classify both Kase and Offor? Make a table and fill the spaces. Lets see.

sjeezy8:

@ post Kase has done well but im more inspired by Bayo Ogunlesi. Well read and didnt start as abusinessman but a lawyer under Thurgood Marshall- Attnded oxford and Harvard graduated with JD and MBA

^ A first class at Oxford in PPE, magna cumlaude at Harvard  


Basically top class brain. Mekusxyz would never reach that level lolz

SEFAGO:

^ A first class at Oxford in PPE, magna cumlaude at Harvard


Basically top class brain. Mekusxyz would never reach that level lolz

I know say Yoruba like to claim-one my problems with them. Did Kase attend those schools you mentioned? Do you want some googling on him? Stop lying.

Kase Lukman Lawal was born in Ibadan in 1954. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Texas Southern University in 1976, and his MBA from Prairie View A&M University, Texas in 1978. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of CAMAC International Corporation and chairman of Allied Energy Corporation in Houston, Texas, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, CAMAC HOLDINGS;[1] vice chairman, Port of Houston Authority Commission. He also serves as a member of the board of directors and is a significant shareholder in Unity National Bank, the only federally insured and licensed African-American-owned bank in Texas. Lukman Lawal was a member of the National Republican Congressional Committee's Business Advisory Council and, in 1994, he was a finalist for the United States Business Entrepreneur of the Year.

Then the FBI barges in.

And suddenly, this obscure company's story becomes oddly interwoven with one of Washington's biggest scandals, a bribery probe targeting a Louisiana congressman.

Nine years after wading out to Sao Tome to make its fortune, ERHC — with just two employees — has yet to sink a well. Whether it ever will remains uncertain.

ERHC's legal troubles came to light in May, when FBI agents, clad in bulletproof vests carted off 118 boxes of documents from the company's Westheimer offices. The government was investigating possible "things of value" paid to officials in Nigeria and the tiny island-nation of Sao Tome, according to an FBI affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Houston.

A little-known Houston oil company lands a potential blockbuster deal in the crude-rich waters off West Africa and appears poised for a big payoff.

From your source, an obscure texan company is accused of fraud. However Kase Lawal is quite open, and his dealing can be easily scrutinized by the American Gov, because he is quite visible, and like most Yoruba rich men very visible. Your obscure igbo fraduster was a crook in teh background. If he was well known, more people would have been interested in his wealth.


However, I would admit- since there is no proper documentation of Kase Lawal's wealth like most Nigerians   , its liklely some stuff happened under the table

And who does not know Emeka Offor in NAIJA? May be only you. He is fronting for the other crooks much the same way as Kase Lawal.