By JKNewsMedia
EFFORTS TO deepen trade and attract investment in Ogun State took centre stage at the ongoing Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF25) in Algiers, Algeria, as Governor Dapo Abiodun told the international community that the state is breaking trade barriers through bold initiatives and targeted reforms.
Speaking during a high-level panel session titled Investment Showcase: Unveiling Opportunities from Select African & Caribbean Sub-Sovereigns, Governor Abiodun reaffirmed Ogun State’s status as Nigeria’s leading investment destination and emphasised the crucial role of sub-nationals in ensuring the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The governor noted that Africa’s vast potential remains underutilised, with intra-continental trade still accounting for only about 15 per cent of total trade.
He identified weak infrastructure, cumbersome regulations, and fragmented value chains as major obstacles hindering progress.
Governor Abiodun explained that Ogun State’s blueprint for economic transformation is designed to address these gaps through multi-modal infrastructure development.
He listed major projects including the Gateway International Cargo Airport, the Ijebu-Ode and Kajola Dry Ports, over 1,200 kilometres of upgraded roads, and an expanded gas reticulation network.
According to him, the blueprint also incorporates a network of economic development clusters and free trade zones.
These include the Remo Economic Development Cluster anchored by the Gateway International Airport, the Ijebu Economic Development Cluster located close to the Dangote Refinery and Agro-Allied Industries, the Agbara Industrial Cluster, and the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone.
The hubs, he said, are designed to support co-location, shared utilities, and value-chain optimisation.
Highlighting efforts to simplify processes for investors, the governor said the state has established the One-Stop Investment Centre, known as OgunInvest, to streamline business procedures.
He also noted the availability of a GIS-enabled Land Bank covering 300,000 hectares of pre-verified land, which enables faster permits, titles, and approvals.
Governor Abiodun added that Ogun State offers key attractions for investors, including policy certainty under the 2019 Public-Private Partnership Law, risk-sharing partnerships with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), as well as structured dialogue between government and industry.
He stressed that the state’s strategic location, with seamless access to Lagos ports, ECOWAS markets, and the Benin Republic border, provides investors with a competitive edge for regional trade and distribution.
The governor concluded that with these interventions, Ogun State is positioning itself as Nigeria’s foremost AfCFTA hub where scale, speed, and certainty align to unlock shared prosperity across Africa.
