The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA, has commended Zeberced, the management company of the Abuja Industrial Park, for accelerating the construction of its $300 million Free Trade Zone, FTZ, project in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The Managing Director of NEPZA, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, gave the commendation during a routine inspection visit to the project site in Abuja on Friday, expressing satisfaction with the pace of construction.
According to the Assistant Director and Head of Corporate Communications, NEPZA, Dr. Martins Odeh, the accelerated development justifies President Bola Tinubu’s decision to license the Abuja Industrial Park as a Free Trade Zone.
“We are glad to see that the construction is accelerating, which has justified President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s licensing of Abuja Industrial Park as a Free Trade Zone. With this initiative, the administration has boosted the country’s manufacturing and export indices through a $300 million investment,” Ogunyemi said.
Located in Idu Industrial Layout Phase IV, the 250-hectare industrial park is expected to accommodate more than 170 factories and create approximately 40,000 jobs for young Nigerians, while opening the FCT to increased industrial activities.
Ogunyemi urged host communities to protect the project, describing it as a major investment capable of contributing significantly to economic development and employment generation.
He stressed that maintaining a secure environment was critical to attracting and retaining investments of such magnitude.
Meanwhile, the NEPZA chief expressed displeasure over the alleged unlawful invasion of the zone by youths from Jiwa community on August 8, during which a section of the perimeter fence was reportedly pulled down to create an unauthorised access road.
He described the incident as “unacceptable and a direct attack on investor confidence” in Nigeria’s Free Trade Zones.
“While the Authority recognises the importance of maintaining harmonious relations with host and neighbouring communities and remains sensitive to legitimate community concerns, NEPZA shall not tolerate unilateral encroachment, destruction and theft in the zone, as such actions contravene Section 13(1) of the NEPZA Act.
“For the umpteenth time, the public must understand that no person shall enter, remain in, or reside in a zone without the prior permission of the Authority,” he said.
Ogunyemi warned that beyond the immediate threat to lives and property, such incidents could undermine investor confidence, disrupt industrial activities and expose investments to vandalism, theft, trespass and other security threats.
He said the Authority had alerted the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Commissioner of Police, requesting the deployment of federal security infrastructure to address the emerging threats.
“Our mandate is to provide a secure, stable and globally competitive environment for investors. This breach falls short of that standard. This company has done a lot for the surrounding communities and should be supported in return,” the NEPZA boss said.
He further disclosed immediate measures being taken to prevent a recurrence and achieve a long-term resolution of the issues.
These include meetings with the FCT Minister and the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, to address the road network around the industrial park, as well as a joint investigation involving the Nigeria Police Force and the FCT Administration to identify those responsible for the incident and establish whether there were any internal lapses.
Other measures include providing full support to the affected company to assess losses and mitigate disruption to its operations, reinforcing the perimeter fence, installing additional CCTV cameras and floodlights, and deploying 24-hour internal and external patrols across the zone.
“NEPZA reassures all current and prospective investors that the safety of personnel and assets remains our top priority. This isolated incident will not deter the Authority’s commitment to making Nigeria’s FTZs the destination of choice for global investment,” Ogunyemi said.
