Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, yesterday unveiled Ajaokuta Economic City, Kogi – Human Free Trade Zone, describing it as a most ambitious economic project in Nigeria.
Speaking at the ceremony and news conference in Abuja, the governor said the project signals beginning of a new economic era for the state, with the potential to redefine its role in national and global commerce.
Ododo said the approval and recognition zone followed rigorous technical assessments, intergovernmental engagements, and months of strategic consultations with investors and development partners from China.
“This is the birth of a new economic engine that will power job creation, industrialisation, global trade integration, and technological advancement for our people,” he said.
The governor lauded President Bola Tinubu for approving the project, describing the President’s support as a strong vote of confidence in Kogi as a strategic industrial hub.
“Mr. President’s approval shows his commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda and his belief in Kogi’s role in Nigeria’s industrial future,” he said.
He thanked Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NACCIMA, NEZA, Central Bank, IRS Group, and partners for providing technical backing and believing in the vision.
Ododo paid tribute to the people for their trust and support, promising that his administration will pursue policies that expand development and economic opportunity.
He said Kogi’s position as “connecting heart of Nigeria” gives it edge, with Ajaokuta hosting the largest steel complex in Africa by design and Lokoja housing the confluence of Rivers Niger and Benue.
“These natural and strategic advantages make Kogi not just the right location for this zone, but the best,” he said.
The governor assured investors that the state has strengthened intelligence gathering, surveillance, and collaborations with security agencies to ensure the Economic City operates in a secure environment.
Ododo added that the Free Trade Zone will open opportunities in large-scale manufacturing, agro-processing, logistics, technology, and innovation. He said the state’s higher institutions—including Federal University Lokoja, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and Confluence University of Science and Technology—will support the zone through research, skills development, and innovation.
Chief Economic Adviser to the governor, Salami Nda, said Ajaokuta Economic City, Kogi–Hunan Free Trade Zone, was developed through a fastest planning and documentation processes ever recorded for such a project in Nigeria.
Nda said this is a product of Ododo’s insistence the state’s natural and economic endowments must translate into prosperity for the people.
He noted that Kogi’s 32-year development plan, launched a day earlier, is anchored on industrialisation, making the zone a flagship initiative.
