Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has reaffirmed the state’s position as Nigeria’s leading investment destination, unveiling new reforms to attract investors and deepen trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking on a high-level panel titled “Investment Showcase: Unveiling Opportunities from Select African & Caribbean Sub-Sovereigns” at the ongoing Intra-African Trade Fair in Algiers, Algeria, Abiodun said Ogun was “actively breaking trade barriers through bold initiatives designed to attract investment and deepen trade.”
Driving AfCFTA Success Through Subnationals
The governor emphasized that subnationals must play a leading role in driving AfCFTA’s success, highlighting that intra-African trade still represents just 15% of total trade due to weak infrastructure, cumbersome regulations, and fragmented value chains.
To address these gaps, Ogun State has prioritized industrial clusters and free trade zones such as:
- Remo Economic Development Cluster, anchored by the new Gateway International Airport
- Ijebu Cluster, strategically close to the Dangote Refinery
- Agbara Industrial Cluster
- Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone
Simplified Processes and Policy Certainty
Abiodun noted that Ogun has established a One-Stop Investment Centre (OgunInvest) to streamline investor processes. The state has also launched a GIS-enabled Land Bank covering 300,000 hectares of pre-verified land, making permits, titles, and approvals faster and easier.
He added that Ogun guarantees policy stability through its 2019 Public-Private Partnership Law, while leveraging risk-sharing frameworks with AfDB and IFAD and fostering structured dialogue with industry stakeholders.
Strategic Advantage for Regional Trade
Highlighting Ogun’s location, Abiodun pointed out that the state borders Lagos, ECOWAS markets, and the Republic of Benin, positioning it as a prime regional distribution hub.
“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,” he declared.
