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Tinubu approves 4,000-hectare Ajaokuta Free Trade Zone to boost industrialisation.
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Kogi receives licence as Ododo seeks foreign and local investors.
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Project expected to revive steel, mining and manufacturing activities.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Ajaokuta Economic City Free Trade Zone in Kogi State, with Governor Usman Ododo pledging to attract both local and foreign investors to drive industrial growth.
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Ododo received the official licence certificate from the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) in Abuja, describing the project as a historic milestone for the state and Nigeria’s industrial development. The 4,000-hectare industrial city was earlier approved by the president in November 2025.
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The governor said the free trade zone would transform Ajaokuta into a major economic hub in West Africa, leveraging the state’s strategic location and abundant mineral resources, including coal, iron ore, lithium and gold.
He noted that Kogi borders several commercial centres, including the Federal Capital Territory, which positions the state for strong economic expansion.
Ododo expressed confidence that the initiative would attract investments and help revive the long-delayed Ajaokuta Steel Complex, adding that investors were already assessing the facility and operations could resume before the end of the year.
He also disclosed that the state government plans to build an international airport to support activities within the economic zone and take advantage of Kogi’s proximity to Abuja.
The Managing Director of NEPZA, Olufemi Ogunyemi, described the issuance of the licence as the beginning of a long-term development process, noting that the agency would support and regulate the zone to ensure its success.
The Ajaokuta Free Trade Zone is expected to support steel fabrication, mining, manufacturing and logistics industries while boosting exports, job creation and economic diversification.
The addition of the Ajaokuta Economic City brings the number of licensed free trade zones in Nigeria to about 46.
