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 Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has positioned Ogun State as Nigeria’s leading investment destination and a key player in the African Continen­tal Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) during the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF25) held in Algiers, Algeria.

Key highlights of Governor Abiodun’s engagement

include advocating for a subna­tional role in AfCFTA, speaking on multimodal infrastructure, investment facilitation, policy stability, economic clusters and free trade zones.

Governor Abiodun empha­sized the crucial role subnational governments play in advancing AfCFTA, noting intra-African trade currently stands at just 15% of total trade volume, hindered by infrastructure gaps, regulato­ry bottlenecks, and fragmented value chains.

He highlighted Ogun State’s robust blueprint for economic transformation, including proj­ects like the Gateway Internation­al Cargo Airport, Ijebu-Ode and Kajola Dry Ports, over 1,200 km of upgraded roads, and expanded gas reticulation networks.

He also addressed simplified processes through OgunInvest (One-Stop Investment Center) and a GIS-enabled Land Bank covering 300,000 hectares; frame­works under the 2019 PPP Law, risk-sharing with AfDB and IFAD, and proactive industry-gov­ernment dialogue.

In addition, he spoke on Ini­tiatives like the Remo Econom­ic Development Cluster, Ijebu Economic Development Cluster, Agbara Industrial Cluster, and Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone, drawing attention to Ogun State’s advantageous position with access to Lagos ports, ECOWAS markets, and the Be­nin Republic border for regional distribution.

Analysts say that Governor Abiodun aims to establish Ogun State as Nigeria’s foremost Af­CFTA hub, driving trade, attract­ing investments, and fostering shared prosperity across Africa.