Ogun State has once again reaffirmed its position as Nigeria’s leading investment destination as Governor Dapo Abiodun participated in a high-level panel session titled “Investment Showcase: Unveiling Opportunities from Select African & Caribbean Sub-Sovereigns” at the ongoing IATF25 in Algiers.
Speaking at the session, Governor Abiodun highlighted the pivotal role of subnationals in driving the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He noted that despite Africa’s enormous potential, intra-continental trade still accounts for only about 15 percent of total trade, largely due to weak infrastructure, cumbersome regulations, and fragmented value chains.
The Governor stressed that Ogun State is actively breaking these barriers through bold initiatives designed to attract investment and deepen trade. According to him, the State’s blueprint for economic transformation includes:
• Multi-modal infrastructure development: the Gateway International Cargo Airport, Ijebu-Ode and Kajola Dry Ports, over 1,200 kilometres of upgraded roads, and expanded gas reticulation networks.
• Economic Development Clusters and Free Trade Zones: the Remo Economic Development Cluster, anchored by the newly licensed Gateway International Airport; the Ijebu Economic Development Cluster with proximity to the Dangote Refinery and Agro-Allied Industries; the Agbara Industrial Cluster; the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone; and several other hubs designed to support co-location, shared utilities, and value-chain optimisation.
• Simplified processes for investors: through the One-Stop Investment Center (OgunInvest) and a GIS-enabled Land Bank covering 300,000 hectares of pre-verified land, enabling faster permits, titles, and approvals.
• Policy certainty: with frameworks under the 2019 PPP Law, risk-sharing partnerships with AfDB and IFAD, and structured government-industry dialogue.
• Strategic location: seamless access to Lagos ports, ECOWAS markets, and the Benin Republic border for regional distribution.
Governor Abiodun stated that with these interventions, Ogun State is positioning itself as Nigeria’s foremost AfCFTA hub—where scale, speed, and certainty converge to unlock shared prosperity for Africa.
