Nigeria's Ogun State, A Potential Industrial Leader in Africa - Dangote

[B]The President and Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote says southwest Nigeria's Ogun State has all it takes to be a leading industrial giant on the African continent if her abundant natural resources are fully tapped.[/B]

Alhaji Dangote made this observation Tuesday in Abeokuta while speaking at a 2-day Ogun State Investor’s Forum tagged “Ogun State Open for Business”.



The business mogul advised the State government not to jettison the Olokola Free Trade Zone project as it has the potentials of making the State the first among its equals throughout the continent.

“Ogun State has what it takes to become the giant of Africa because it has a joint Free Trade Zone with Ondo, called Olokola where the government can facilitate the building of the biggest port in Africa. Truly by having Olokola port, Ogun will have more business than all other ports put together”, he remarked.



Alhaji Dangote pointed out that by having that port within the confines of the State, it would become bigger than any other state within Africa because of its proximity to Lagos, adding that the Lagos port was already congested.

He also advised the State government to as a matter of urgency to consider raising funds to commence the linking of the eastern gas with the west which according to him would assist the State in setting up a petro-chemical industry and facilitate uninterrupted power supply to its industrial parks.

In his remark, Chairman, Lafarge WAPCO Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye advised the government to be consistent in its policies so as to attract more investors to the State.

He pointed out that effort should be increased to ensure security of lives and property in order to create an enabling environment to attract genuine investors into the State.

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru disclosed that already, the present administration in the State had removed all bottlenecks and bureaucracy that could frustrate would-be investors.

He assured that genuine investors willing to set up business in the State have no cause to be apprehensive because the Senator Amosun-led Ogun State government remained unequivocally committed to providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.