Kudos for launch of Ogun agro-processing zone

November 4, 2022, will ever remain indelible in the minds of Ogun indigenes, as it was the day that the state played host to personalities in the business world within and outside the shores of Nigeria. The event was the groundbreaking ceremony of the first Special Agro-Processing Zone Project in Nigeria, performed by Governor Dapo […]

November 4, 2022, will ever remain indelible in the minds of Ogun indigenes, as it was the day that the state played host to personalities in the business world within and outside the shores of Nigeria.

The event was the groundbreaking ceremony of the first Special Agro-Processing Zone Project in Nigeria, performed by Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The $800 million project, said to be the biggest investment in Nigeria, is domiciled at the Ogun Cargo Airport, with the first phase said to be in the region of $400 million.

The project is an integrated development initiative designed to physically concentrate agro-processing activities at scale in order to leverage and harness the high agricultural potential of the state. 

When the project comes on board fully, the people of Ogun State stand to gain a lot because the Special Agro-Processing Zone Project will fast-track the ongoing industrialisation of the state by boosting productivity and integrating the production, processing and marketing of carefully selected commodity value chains that will enable agricultural producers, processors, aggregators and distributors to operate in the same environment.

The project is believed to be the first of its kind in the country and would generate over 20,000 direct jobs.

It is quite obvious that the coming of Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms, financiers of the project, to invest $400 million in the first instance at the airport as well as the Special Agro-Processing Zone will improve production cost efficiencies through shared infrastructure and facilities, which in turn will increase the productivity competitiveness of agricultural value chains 

Having a dream is one thing and making the dream become reality is a different ball game altogether. Like Walt Disney, founder of Walt Disney Company, once said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them”, Governor Abiodun of Ogun State has indeed demonstrated how best to turn a dream into reality by making the state an agro-processing hub not only in Nigeria, West Africa, but in Africa. 

Elijah Udofia wrote from  Laderin, Abeokuta