NEPZA Hails $300m Abuja Industrial Park, Warns Against Infiltration

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has commended Zeberced for accelerating the construction of the $300 million Abuja Industrial Park Free Trade Zone, saying the project could significantly expand manufacturing, exports and employment in the Federal Capital Territory.

The NEPZA Managing Director, Dr Olufemi Ogunyemi, gave the commendation during a routine inspection of the project site in Abuja on Thursday.

Ogunyemi said the pace of construction had justified President Bola Tinubu’s decision to license the 250-hectare facility as a Free Trade Zone, noting that the investment would strengthen the country’s industrial capacity and create new economic opportunities.

“We are glad to see that the construction is accelerating, which has justified President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s licensing of Abuja Industrial Park as a Free Trade Zone,” he said.

Located at Idu Industrial Layout Phase IV, the park is expected to accommodate more than 170 factories and generate about 40,000 jobs when fully operational.

Ogunyemi said the project would also open the FCT to large-scale industrial activities while contributing to the administration’s efforts to increase Nigeria’s manufacturing and export capacity.

He urged host communities to protect the facility and support the investment, stressing that a secure environment was essential for attracting and retaining investments of such magnitude.

The commendation came amid concerns over the alleged unlawful invasion of the industrial zone by youths from Jiwa community on August 8, when a section of the perimeter fence was reportedly pulled down to create an unauthorised access road.

Ogunyemi described the incident as unacceptable and warned that such actions could undermine investor confidence in Nigeria’s Free Trade Zones.

“While the Authority recognises the importance of maintaining harmonious relations with host and neighbouring communities and remains sensitive to legitimate community concerns, NEPZA shall not tolerate unilateral encroachment, destruction, and theft in the zone,” he said.

He said such actions contravened Section 13(1) of the NEPZA Act, which regulates access and activities within designated free trade zones.

The NEPZA chief executive stressed that unauthorised access to the zone could expose workers, property and investments to security threats, including vandalism, theft and trespass, while potentially disrupting industrial activities.

“For the umpteenth time, the public must understand that no person shall enter, remain in, or reside in a zone without the prior permission of the Authority,” he said.

According to him, the incident also had implications beyond the immediate security breach, particularly at a time when Nigeria was seeking to attract more domestic and foreign investment into its industrial sector.

Ogunyemi said NEPZA had alerted the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Commissioner of Police to facilitate the deployment of available federal security infrastructure to address emerging threats around the zone.

“Our mandate is to provide a secure, stable, and globally competitive environment for investors. This breach falls short of that standard. This company has done a lot for the surrounding communities and should be supported in return,” he said.

He disclosed that the Authority was already pursuing measures aimed at preventing a recurrence of the incident and addressing some of the underlying concerns.

These include meetings with Wike and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to discuss the road network around the industrial park, as well as a joint investigation with the Nigeria Police Force and the FCT administration to identify those responsible for the breach and determine whether there were any internal lapses.

NEPZA also plans to support the affected company in assessing losses and addressing disruptions to its operations, while strengthening security around the facility.

Ogunyemi said the perimeter fence would be reinforced, with additional closed-circuit television cameras and floodlights to be installed. He added that 24-hour internal and external patrols would also be maintained across the zone.

The NEPZA boss assured existing and prospective investors that the authority remained committed to protecting personnel, assets and investments within Nigeria’s free trade zones.

“NEPZA reassures all current and prospective investors that the safety of personnel and assets remains our top priority. This isolated incident will not deter the Authority’s commitment to making Nigeria’s FTZs the destination of choice for global investment,” he said.

The Abuja Industrial Park is expected to become one of the major industrial developments in the FCT, with its planned concentration of manufacturing facilities and associated businesses projected to stimulate job creation, local production and export-oriented activities.