By Femi Ogbonnikan

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has been unrelenting in his sustained effort to positioning Ogun State as the Gateway to investment destination of choice through a well-coordinated policy of providing a conducive business environment, backed by aggressive marketing on the global stage, which is designed to ensure the administration leaves a legacy defined by industrial growth and economic prosperity.
Over the last six years of the administration, he has personally led numerous investment missions, serving as the state’s Chief Marketer, striving to turn the state into the nation’s foremost industrial and economic hubs. The latest in the series of the administration’s investment hunting initiatives is the recent China trip along with his economic team. So far, this aggressive drive has yielded significant results and pledges, including the $5 million British battery recycling plant, and major expansions by existing players, cementing its status as the nation’s industrial capital. Not only that the relentless effort has translated into Ogun State maintaining its status as a top investment destination, it has also increased the economy more than fourfold, from N3.5 trillion to N16 trillion over the past six years.While in China, Governor Abiodun-led investment team met with the Governor of Shandong Province, Mr. Zhou Naixiang, as part of the administration’s efforts to rekindle and strengthen a Shandong-Ogun State Economic and Trade Partnership under the broader Nigeria-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (NCSP) as agreed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR and President Xi Jinping at the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, September 2024. The partnership initiative between Ogun State led by Governor Abiodun, and Shandong Province holds immense significance, acting as a crucial model for sub-national economic development within the larger Nigeria-China relations. The meeting was held with the specific goal of reviving and strengthening a Shandong-Ogun State Economic and Trade Partnership. Shandong is one of China’s most industrially advanced regions.
So, the visit was a high-level strategic move to unlock large-scale, provincial-level investment and technical collaboration across the critical sectors necessary for Ogun State’s long-term economic master plan. The partnership aims to leverage the Chinese expertise to further solidify Ogun State’s status as Nigeria’s emerging industrial capital. By this initiative, the Governor sought to attract more Chinese manufacturers, adding to the over 160 Chinese companies already operating in the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone. One of the outcomes of the meeting was a pledge of a $50 million fresh investment from a Chinese firm, Lee Group, for the expansion of its detergent operations and the establishment of two new food-processing factories in Ogun State. Further discussions centred on exploring opportunities in the agriculture sector, where Ogun State is positioning itself as a major food basket. Shandong’s agricultural technology and large-scale farming models are key areas of potential knowledge transfer and investment. By targeting manufacturing, agriculture, and renewable energy, the administration’s initiative aligns with Nigeria’s national goals of moving away from oil dependence by promoting local content and value addition in the non-oil sector. The continued influx of major foreign investors, like the Lee Group and Royal Ceramic validates the state’s efforts in creating an attractive and friendly Public-Private Partnership (PPP) environment. This serves as a strong signal to other international investors that Ogun State is a preferred and safe destination for global capital.Another central focus of the team was the development of Olokola Deep Sea Port project, in Ogun Waterside, which the Governor described as critical to Ogun’s future as a maritime hub. Pursuant to that objective, the team met with the Mayor of Rizhao, a coastal city in Shandong known for its port economy, to discuss collaboration that would bring world-class technical knowledge and investment to the Olokola project. While in the city, the Governor took tour of the fully automated Rizhao sea port to study its operations. The focus on collaborating with Rizhao is vital for the development of the Olokola Deep Sea Port. This is particularly critical for turning Ogun State into a major maritime and industrial hub and a Gateway for trade between Africa and Asia, easing the perennial congestion at Lagos sea ports. By partnering with Rizhao on port management, Abiodun aims to bring world-class technical knowledge and investment to a key infrastructure project in Nigeria. He highlighted the State’s rich mineral deposits and the opportunities that exist for exploration and value-added development, stressing the administration’s readiness to partner with reputable global players in the sector. He expressed confidence that the collaborations would boost industrialization, create jobs, and expand Ogun’s revenue base.
Beyond economic pursuits, the Governor underscored the importance of cultural and people-to-people exchanges between Ogun State and Rizhao, explaining that these ties would foster mutual understanding, strengthen bilateral relations and open new frontiers for educational and tourism cooperation.
Following the meeting with the mayor, Abiodun visited the fully automated Rizhao sea port in Rizhao to view firsthand port operations and potential port development plans.
“We envisioned replicating this natural deep sea port in Ogun State with collaboration and technical knowledge from Shandong Port Group owners of the Rizhao Port,” he said.
Additionally, the team visited BlueCarbon, a world-renowned manufacturer of solar technologies, at the company’s headquarters and production facilities in Rizhao, Shandong Province. BlueCarbon is internationally acclaimed for its cutting-edge expertise in the production of solar panels, batteries, inverter systems, and DC-powered fridges.
The Governor and his team took a guided tour of the company’s factory floors, where they observed first-hand the sophisticated processes and advanced technologies that power BlueCarbon’s global operations. Impressed by the scale of innovation, he remarked: “What we have seen here today is truly remarkable. BlueCarbon’s operations clearly demonstrate the transformative potential of renewable energy. This resonates strongly with our vision in Ogun State to develop a sustainable energy sector that will accelerate industrialization and enhance the well-being of our people.
”During the engagement, BlueCarbon executives pointed out that Ogun State is uniquely positioned for solar energy investment, citing its abundant silica deposits, a critical raw material in solar panel production, and its long hours of daily sunlight as natural advantages that could make the State a leading hub for renewable energy in Nigeria.
The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to advance discussions with BlueCarbon, especially in exploring the establishment of solar manufacturing plants within Ogun State. He emphasized that such initiatives would not only boost access to affordable and clean power, but also generate employment opportunities, attract new investments, and reinforce the State’s industrial base.
“Ogun State is determined to convert its natural endowments into engines of economic growth. By partnering with global leaders such as BlueCarbon, we will harness renewable energy to drive sustainable development, expand opportunities for our citizens, and maintain our position at the forefront of Nigeria’s transformation journey,” the Governor declared.
The visit to BlueCarbon forms part of a broader series of high-level engagements during the Governor’s working visit to China, which is focused on attracting strategic investments across renewable energy, manufacturing, agriculture, and technology.
The team equally engaged with Inspur, one of China’s leading IT companies based in Shandong, focusing on collaboration to drive digital transformation, knowledge exchange, and support for the Ogun Tech Hub. Discussion with IT firms like Inspur and the focus on the Ogun Tech Hub aims to drive digital transformation and knowledge exchange, helping Ogun State become an African digital innovation hub. The Province of Shandong, through its Foreign Affairs Office, organized and participated in an Ogun–Shandong Matchmaking Event, which showcased an impressive array of products and innovations from several SMEs and manufacturers across the province. Exhibitors spanned key industries including power, textiles, equipment manufacturing, and electric vehicles. At the event, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, presented a compelling business case on why Ogun State remains the preferred destination for investment in Nigeria. He highlighted the state’s strategic advantages, robust infrastructure, and enabling environment that continue to attract global partners.Following the Governor’s presentation, several businesses expressed strong interest in working with Ogun State, signaling the beginning of promising collaborations that will further strengthen trade and investment ties between Shandong Province and Ogun State. It is worth noting that the Abiodun’s investment hunting is not random; it’s anchored on a clear, multi-pronged strategy. One of the core strategies of the administration is the establishment of the Ogun State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency (OgunInvest) as a one-stop-shop to streamline processes, cut bureaucratic red tape, and quickly provide necessary permits, titles, and approvals for investors.This is in addition to the heavily invested multi-modal infrastructure projects aimed at creating a conducive environment for industrial investments. The key infrastructure projects that position Ogun State as investment destination of choice include the Gateway International Airport (GIA) at Iperu/Ilisan, construction and upgrading of over 1, 200 kilometers of roads, the Olokola Deep Sea Port and the Kajola Dry Inland Port, to enhance maritime and logistics connectivity.
The administration’s initiative of creating strategic economic development clusters like the Remo Economic Development Cluster anchored by the Airport and the Ijebu Economic Development Cluster near the Dangote Refinery is for no other reason than to attract industry-specific investments. Major industrial and manufacturing investments-foreign and domestic-the administration has attracted or facilitated since 2019 include, among others, the Inner Galaxy Group, $400 million Hot Rolled Coiled Steel Factory in Ewekoro Local Government Area, projected to create about 6,500 direct and indirect jobs, the Biggest Cotton and Polyester Processing Factory in the World at the Special Agro Processing Zone, Gateway International Airport, with an estimated potential to employ around 50,000 workers, the British Battery Recycling Company (Hinckley), a $5 million investment in the first year, supported by the UK’s Manufacturing Africa Initiative and reconstruction of Dangote Cement Plant, Itori and expansion of capacity. According to a report by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun State has attracted over 70 percent of new manufacturing investments in Nigeria in recent years, including 311 manufacturing plants setting up or expanding operations under the Abiodun administration. The administration’s key strategy for this feat is the creation of specialized hubs and infrastructure projects designed to attract private sector.

*Ogbonnikan is a Senior Special Assistant to the Ogun State Governor on Media

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