The Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone, initiated by former Governor Otunba Engr. Gbenga Daniel, in partnership with China, now stands as Nigeria’s flagship industrial success story. Mr. Joseph Tegbe, the Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), has hailed the remarkable success of the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ), describing it as a masterpiece that exemplifies the vision of its initiator, former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel.
The industrial complex, which began as a joint venture between the Gbenga Daniel-led Ogun State Government and China Guangdong Xinguang China-Africa Investment Limited in 2007, has transformed into Nigeria’s most successful free trade zone, currently hosting 173 operating companies.
During a courtesy visit to the zone on Thursday, Mr. Tegbe commended the foresight of the original partnership that established the zone in Igbesa, Ogun State. “This is one FTZ that has been extremely successful in attracting Chinese investors. What we see today is the fruition of the strategic vision that brought together Ogun State and Guangdong province,” he stated.
The zone, which officially commenced operations following the 2007 agreement between the Daniel administration and China Guangdong Xinguang China-Africa Investment Limited, now provides over 10,000 direct employment opportunities and 25,000 indirect jobs to Nigerians. Additionally, it generates over 300 megawatts of electricity to power the operating companies within the zone.
“I saw a company here that produces 500 metric tons of glass every day. That’s 150,000 metric tons of glass in Nigeria,” Tegbe noted, highlighting the industrial capacity that has emerged from Daniel’s original vision for Nigeria-China cooperation.
The NCSP Director General emphasised that the success of Daniel’s initiative should serve as a template for other states across Nigeria. “We want to ensure that whatever they are getting right should be replicated in other Free Trade Zones. Our plan is to use the FTZ as a showcase and a masterpiece to attract more investors into Nigeria.”
Dr. Hafsat Oduwole-Balewa, current Chairman of the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone, reflected on the zone’s growth trajectory since the Daniel era. “When I was newly appointed, there were less than 40 industries operating at the Zone, but we can now boast of 173 industries,” she said, crediting the solid foundation laid by the original partnership.
Dr. Hafsat noted that the zone has also transformed perceptions about Chinese products in Nigeria. “Hitherto many associate fake products with China, but the negative impression is no longer, because of the quality and high standard of products produced in the Zone,” she explained.
The Chairman described the OGFTZ as “a practical embodiment of the Nigeria-China relationship,” emphasizing how Daniel’s original vision has evolved into a center for “industrial excellence, global competitiveness and sustainable economic transformation.”
According to Tegbe, the success of Daniel’s initiative demonstrates the importance of strategic international partnerships. “No nation has been self-sufficient without external collaboration,” he stated, explaining how the original Ogun-Guangdong partnership exemplifies Nigeria’s approach to leveraging international cooperation for industrial development.
The NCSP office, established under the presidency to coordinate Nigeria-China economic relations, now uses the OGFTZ as a flagship example of successful bilateral cooperation, with plans to expand the model established by Daniel’s administration to other parts of Nigeria.
Mr. Steven Makanjuola, the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) Administrative Manager of the Zone, described the OGFTZ as “a pacesetter and role model to the country,” acknowledging the foundational work that began with the Daniel administration’s partnership with China.
The visiting delegation included representatives from China-Africa Investment FZC, OGFTZ management, immigration and customs officers, and various Chinese companies operating within the zone that traces its origins to the visionary 2007 agreement between Gbenga Daniel’s Ogun State Government and Guangdong province.
The OGFTZ was initiated, conceptualised, licensed, developed, and commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan and Gbenga Daniel in 2010, and it is one of the three Free Trade Zones established during the tenure of Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s administration. The others are the Kajola Transportation FTZ with Ifo local government and the Olokola in Ogun Waterside LG.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.