Foreign news.
The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has called on the American Business Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Africa–U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other development partners to explore the vast investment opportunities within Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones.
Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, Managing Director of NEPZA, made the call while delivering a lecture titled “Free Zones and Industrial Competitiveness: Catalysing Investment Through Regulatory Innovation” at a side event on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday in New York.
Dr.Martins Odeh,Head, Corporate Communications (NEPZA) in a statement he signed and made a copy to The Reporters on Thursday in Abuja,said the event, themed “Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria: A New Era of Economic Opportunities,” provided a platform for linking policy direction with private sector financing.
Dr. Ogunyemi noted that Nigeria’s Free Zones are not just designated parcels of land but vibrant business hubs designed for industrial advancement and credible, scalable investments across regions.
“We are therefore asking U.S. investors and institutions to undertake site visits to the Lagos Free Zone, Lekki Free Zone, Abuja Industrial Park Free Zone (AIPFZ), and other zones to witness the infrastructure and operations of anchor tenants,” he said.
He further invited U.S. partners to participate in anchor projects that would evolve into Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) factory clusters, create jobs, and boost local content in procurement.
“We also invite investors to co-finance shared infrastructure that supports hundreds of tenant investments and enables the scaling up of production for exports,” he added.
Reaffirming NEPZA’s commitment to investor confidence, Dr. Ogunyemi pledged that the Authority would continue to facilitate due diligence, regulatory clarity, and structural support to ensure smooth transition from dialogue to investment agreements.
He disclosed that NEPZA had adopted some of the world’s best practices to enhance industrial competitiveness through four interconnected mechanisms: world-class infrastructure, regulatory predictability, cluster effects, and market access.
According to him, the Federal Government remains committed to prioritising private capital and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects as the driving force behind the ongoing transformation of the nation’s Free Zone scheme.
Dr. Ogunyemi also urged prospective investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s large and growing market as a gateway to regional and global trade expansion.
In conclusion, he expressed appreciation to the Presidency for including NEPZA in the UNGA delegation and commended the leadership of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) for providing the platform that allowed the Authority to showcase Nigeria’s Free Zones to U.S. investors.
