Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has told the international community that the State is actively dismantling trade barriers through bold initiatives designed to attract investment and deepen trade.
Abiodun spoke during a high-level panel session titled “Investment Showcase: Unveiling Opportunities from Select African & Caribbean Sub-Sovereigns” at the ongoing IATF25 in Algiers, Algeria.
Reaffirming Ogun State’s position as Nigeria’s leading investment destination, the governor highlighted the pivotal role of subnational governments in driving the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He noted that despite Africa’s enormous potential, intra-continental trade accounts for only about 15 percent of total trade, largely due to weak infrastructure, cumbersome regulations, and fragmented value chains.
According to him, Ogun State’s blueprint for economic transformation prioritises multi-modal infrastructure development — including the Gateway International Cargo Airport, Ijebu-Ode and Kajola Dry Ports, over 1,200 kilometres of upgraded roads, and expanded gas reticulation networks.
The plan also includes economic development clusters and free trade zones such as 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.
In addition, Abiodun said Ogun State has simplified processes for investors through its One-Stop Investment Centre (OgunInvest) and a GIS-enabled Land Bank covering 300,000 hectares of pre-verified land to enable faster permits, titles, and approvals.
He listed Ogun State’s key attractions to include policy certainty under the 2019 PPP Law, risk-sharing partnerships with the AfDB and IFAD, structured government-industry dialogue, and a strategic location with seamless access to Lagos ports, ECOWAS markets, and the Benin Republic border for regional distribution.
“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,” the governor said.
