Olaniyi Ajibola

Like the state of California with 22, 052 manufacturing firms employing 1,340, 647 workers, Ogun State, South West Nigeria is leading as the hotbed for manufacturers among subnational governments in Africa, hosting over 7,000 manufacturing firms and employing thousands of workers in different industrial clusters across the state.

The industrial revolution in Ogun steadily started in 2019 with change in government and resultant change in government policies that entrenched favourable Ease of Doing Business and therefore transformed the state to an investment destination of choice on the continent .

The transformation in the industrial sector of the state is significantly massive as manufacturers thronged the state in droves with Millions of dollars investments and exploring the multifaceted comparative advantages embedded in the state, ranging from its proximity to commercial capital of Nigeria in Lagos, strategic location in the West Africa business corridor as well as it’s functional gas reticulation system.

Also, unlike other states in Nigeria with cumbersome and bureaucratic process of land allocation, which gives room for sharp practices that make land allocation extremely difficult for investors, the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun proactively eliminated such hindrance by deploying advanced technology that fast tracks issuance of Certificate of Occupancy within weeks and without any room for exploitation.

In addition to that, the introduction of geo-mapping systems has led to transparency, efficiency, and accountability in land allocation, which, apart from preventing multiple allocations and closing loopholes, also builds investor confidence by providing clear, reliable, and accessible land data.

These creativity and commitment by Governor Dapo Abiodun in changing the old order and conscientiously developing the state have yielded tremendous success beyond imagination and expectations of many, putting the state on a very solid economic footing of N16trn as at the last quarter of 2025 fiscal year.

The Governor made this known over the weekend, saying the state’s economy has increased fourfold, jumping from N3.5 trillion to N16 trillion in the last six years as the state secured an investment pledge in the range of $1.8 billion to $2.5 billion.

Prince Abiodun, while addressing Messrs. Fayad Fayad, the Strategic Advisor, and Hassan Fayad, Public Relations and Communication Officer of Mac Group, who paid him a courtesy call in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta also revealed that the state’s foremost tourist center, Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, generates about N20 million on a weekly basis after its renovation, compared to the same amount generated yearly before the turnaround of the tourist center.

According to the governor, Ogun State has, in the last six years, grown in leaps and bounds in the areas of economic development, improved infrastructure, provision of basic amenities, and reinvigorated tourist centers across the state.

In his words,”We are one of the two best-performing states in Nigeria. We are the fastest-growing economy in the country. Our economy, between 2019 and 2025, has quadrupled from N3.5 trillion to N16 trillion.

“I don’t have any doubt about the competitive advantage of this state. All the ingredients that you need for the patronage of a large leisure facility are here, and I think that you have not made any error in coming as we provide the best option for investments”.

Responding, the Strategic Adviser, Mac Group, Fayad Fayad, said his organization is bringing an investment worth between $1.8 billion and $2.5 billion that would focus on hospitality and entertainment.

“We are very happy to be here today in Ogun State; we are very proud to initiate this project. This is definitely the first project, and it is between the range of $1.8 billion to $2.5 billion. Very soon, you will hear very good news.

“There is an initiative that we presented to His Excellency, which is about having a Disneyland resort within Ogun State; it will be the first in Africa.

“It is a huge project for entertainment and tourism. There will be parks, entertainment, hotels, and water parks.

“We have a lot of projects to do together; we can see the vision, we can see the leadership, and we can see the growth of the economy. Hopefully, we will work side by side with Ogun State, and the sky is the limit,” he said.

In the same vein, a Taiwanese multinational conglomerate and global tech giant, Foxconn, has expressed interest in setting up its manufacturing plant in Ogun State.

This was also disclosed over the weekend by AVP, Corporate BD Chairman Office, Mr. Vincent Lee, when he led a delegation to meet Governor Dapo Abiodun, at the Gateway City Gate Interchange, along the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway.

He explained that the delegation was in the State to explore business opportunities with a view to establishing their operations, adding that his organization is the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, with an annual revenue base of over $200 billion, employing thousands in its various manufacturing plants.

He said: “We are here in Ogun State today to meet with Mr. Governor to discuss investment opportunities that will lead to establishing our business here in Ogun State.”

The Governor has earlier informed his guests that the State is gradually emerging as Africa’s investment and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) powerhouse due to the various reforms and conducive business environment put in place by his administration.

He stated that the State’s success story is its unmatched ability to generate sustainable revenue and attract private capital without relying exclusively on federal allocations. This fiscal creativity, the governor emphasized, has positioned the State as an economic model for Nigeria, with ICT serving as a central driver, from automating revenue processes to expanding its digital economy.

All in all, the relentless and selfless efforts of Governor Dapo Abiodun as the Chief Marketing Officer of the State have really paid off and the transformation is far beyond the reach of his naysayers and destructive critics. The success has been confirmed by all and the consensus is that the Governor has really done well and surpassed initial threshold.

*Ajibola is a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Ogun State Governor on Strategic Communications.

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