In a significant boost to Nigeria’s industrial ambitions, Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, has announced plans to establish a world-class industrial and free trade zone at Olokola in Ondo State.
Described as a fully integrated, power-centric investment hub, the project aims to eliminate the perennial infrastructure bottlenecks that have long frustrated manufacturers and investors across the country.
Dangote made the disclosure during a courtesy visit to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the Governor’s Office in Akure. He painted a compelling vision of a modern industrial ecosystem equipped with reliable power, water, logistics, and gas infrastructure essentially a “plug-and-play” destination where businesses can commence operations without the usual delays associated with basic utilities.
“We want to create the biggest free trade zone where investors can just come and plug in,” Dangote said. “We will generate power, provide infrastructure and remove the bottlenecks around doing business.”
The initiative directly confronts Nigeria’s decades-long power deficit, which Dangote identified as the single greatest constraint to industrial growth. By embedding dedicated energy generation and an east-west gas corridor into the zone’s design, the project seeks to support energy-intensive industries and reduce dependence on costly self-generated electricity.
Dangote noted that earlier attempts to develop investments in Olokola had faced operational hurdles, prompting the group to focus primarily on Lagos in previous years. This new push marks a renewed and more comprehensive commitment to the region.
Construction is set to accelerate quickly: contractors are expected to mobilize to the site within the next three to four months, with full-scale development slated to begin in the last quarter of the year. The project will feature government participation, with Dangote requesting that the Ondo State government nominate a representative to the board of the industrial zone to ensure seamless coordination.
The economic ripple effects are expected to be substantial. Similar initiatives by the Dangote Group in Lagos have generated significant employment, export revenues, and industrial expansion. The Olokola project promises to replicate and surpass these outcomes, driving large-scale job creation across Ondo State and its neighboring regions.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa warmly welcomed the investment, describing it as a major milestone in the state’s industrialization drive. He emphasized Olokola’s strategic positioning along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway corridor and highlighted the state’s deep seaport licence, which offers a competitive logistics edge for handling large vessels. The governor also pointed to confirmed high-quality limestone deposits suitable for industrial use, opening further possibilities for cement production.
To fast-track the project, the state has constituted a technical committee to handle legal, land, community, and operational matters. The governor affirmed his administration’s readiness to nominate a representative to the project board.
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