…says Free Trade Zone is back

www.osunstate.gov.ng

The Executive Governor of Osun State, Sen. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke has on Tuesday welcomed Chinese foreign technical delegation led by Carbon54 Limited to further deepen his industrialisation drive in the State.

The Governor also assured the people of Osun State that the Free Trade Zone, which has been abandoned for years, will soon be resuscitated by his administration.

Carbon54 Limited has concluded arrangements to invest in exploration, extraction, processing and supply chain management (export) of new energy metals including hard rock lithium (spodumene), in Osun State.

The investors are seeking to secure exploration and mining licenses for lithium deposits across the State and are also planning to attract further foreign investment and collaboration in the State by setting up solar mini grids and Energy Storage Systems (ESS) to power industrial development in Osun State.

Presenting the investors to the Governor, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Rev. Bunmi Jenyo explained that Carbon54 and their foreign technical partners partner’s objective is to boost Osun State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and create jobs by driving the State’s economic diversification, boosting energy capacity and industrialisation transition through extensive lithium ore extraction, processing of lithium concentrate, lithium exports, solar mini grids for power generation, Energy Storage Systems (ESS), solar portable power generators and charging stations for SMEs as Osun State continues to cushion the energy transition post fuel subsidy removal.

He emphasised that other states within the federation wanted to hijack the Chinese investors but for the tenacity of the governor, who assured the partners that Osun State is strategically positioned to become the new hub of industrial manufacturing activity in Nigeria due to its solid mineral resources, human intellectual capital, the existing power infrastructure and business enabling environment policies enacted by the Governor’s Administration.

Carbon54 Limited will be attracting foreign investment and technical partners to upgrade the Living Spring Free Trade Zone to a Sustainable Green Economic Zone through a PPP vessel. The Free Trade Zone will serve as the new hub of industrialisation in Nigeria powered by clean energy while accommodating solid mineral treatment and refinery facilities, battery and electronic manufacturing facilities, assembly plants for automobiles, buses and solar generators, agro-allied industries, food processing and preservation facilities, textile manufacturing factories amongst others.

While speaking, Mrs Zheng who expressed her happiness also reassured the governor of their readiness to provide technical expertise and support of their company towards Osun State’s industrial drive in the areas of lithium value chain, battery technology, renewable energy, Energy Storage Systems (ESS), Smart hardware, intelligent manufacturing (Automation), Industrial Internet to boost the digital economy, technology transfer, and skills acquisition and training initiatives at the Technology Incubation Centre located at the Living Spring Free Trade Zone.

This by implications, will boost the economic profile of the state and create jobs and improve technical competence of youths in the state.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Rev. Jenyo had taken the Carbon54 led delegation around the Free Trade Zone, Ede and the Central Power Station, Powerline, Osogbo for on-site assessment of the area and facilities.

Receiving the Commissioner and his team in his office, the Principal Manager Transmission, Engr. Lade S. O. A. also assured the investors of the enabling environment, human and natural resources and peace in the state as the cardinal principles of business growth and genuine industrialisation.

The President, Osun State Chambers of Commerce, mines and agriculture, Dr. Olu Olujide who recognized the governor as a lover of local content, urged his administration to promote investment in palm oil and palm kernel oil processing, rice milling, animal feed milling and cassava processing.

According to him “the Osun Trade Fair is one of the sustainable platforms to promote economic development of Osun State. The 2023 edition scheduled to hold between Thursday 16th to Tuesday 28th November 2023 is indeed a trade promotion platform which goes in line with Osun Government policy of promoting Trade Investments in the state”.

“The fair will showcase the abundance of Osun agricultural products with value chain, plenthora of mineral resources, and general goods and services produced in the state”, Dr. Olujide stated.

The delegation of the foreign investors include the former Deputy Head of Mission at the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing, Ambassador Ademola Oladele, Managing Director of Carbon54 Limited, Prince Ademola J. Oladele, Mrs Alice Zheng and Mr. Daniel Yang.

OSOGBO – 04/08/2023 – Osunstate.gov.ng

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has kickstarted the Osun State Business Growth Initiative through strategic partnership with federal and international organisations and agencies.

In line with his commitment to transform Osun from a civil service state to a business and industrial state, the Governor in Abuja in the last two days directed the hosting of two top flight meetings to address business Growth and industrial foundation for Osun State.

While a delegation had far reaching discussions with the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority on reviving Osun free trade zone and kickstarting the agricultural processing zones, another team was at the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to develop a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen SME growth in the state.

The team that met the SMEDAN management led by Senator Akogun Lere Oyewumi had the Chief of Staff, Hon Kazeem Akinleye and other top government officials in attendance. Organized by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Rev Bunmi Jenyo, the meeting had the full presence of directors and top management of the agency.

Senator Oyewumi who spoke on behalf of the state delegation informed SMEDAN management of the state’s readiness to tap into all the programmes of the agency to develop Osun businesses.

“You can see our delegation is strong and this demonstrates our readiness to grow the Osun business potentials. We seek revival of previous agreements and the creation of new ones. Our government is business friendly”, Oyewumi said.

The Director General of SMEDAN, Olawale Fasanya told the delegation that Osun is receiving full attention of the agency, citing various initiatives such as the proposed training facility within the Industrial Development Centre, Osogbo, ongoing identification for development of small cluster business zones, matching fund programme advertisements and the conditional grant scheme.

“We have had several MOUs with previous Osun state governments. Now is the time to build up a new one that will be very comprehensive”, the SMEDAN boss noted.

At NEPZA, both parties agreed to accelerate the revival of the Living Spring Free Trade Zone which has been moribund for years.

The Osun Government team led by the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and the NEPZA team led by the agency Managing Director, Prince Adesoji Adesugba agreed on the following; resuscitation of the Livingspring free trade zone, partnership on the development of the Special Agriculture processing Zone and development of the state investment promotion agency.

Speaking on the ongoing partnership deals which cover the United Nations Training agency, Governor Adeleke noted as follows : “Our administration is working hard to develop the state business sectors, we need new partnerships with several federal and international agencies.

“I have the sense of urgency to change this label of civil service state. We want our industrial sector to grow. Therefore, we have to develop the abandoned free trade zone, this will drive inflow of investment. We hope to get the SME industrial clusters off the ground, need mini-industrial parks all over the Senatorial districts. We are reviewing the Omoluabi economic zone to make it truly functional.

“With the state cabinet in place, I seek to quicken the pace of our delivery. That is why we are hosting several delegations locally and internationally. That is why we are targeting national and global agencies. As a businessman before now, I am convinced that developing our business is the best way to grow the state”, Governor Adeleke affirmed.

Signed
Mallam Olawale Rasheed,
Spokesperson to the State Governor.