By Grace Alegba
The Industrial Platform Remo Free Zone (IPRFZ) has unveiled plans to create 40,000 direct jobs during the first phase of its industrial hub in Ogun State.
IPRFZ is a world-class, sustainable industrial ecosystem in Sagamu, created to boost exports, enhance trade, and serve as a manufacturing and innovation hub.
Prasad Sane, Chief Business Officer of IPRFZ, disclosed this during a media chat with journalists on Tuesday in Abeokuta.
He said the ARISE IIP Group aims to generate over one million jobs across its various projects in Africa, including Nigeria.
Sane noted that Nigeria’s large population provides an advantage for driving industrialisation and expanding manufacturing capacity.
He revealed the first phase of construction will conclude in 2026, with six customers already securing plots to begin operations by June.
According to him, 40,000 jobs are expected to be created in 2025, ahead of the phase one completion date.
“Our target is to create 40,000 jobs in this phase. We are supporting investors in recruiting skilled manpower,” Sane stated.
He said operating benefits in the zone include expatriate quota waivers, free profit remittances, preferential tariffs, and one-stop approvals for permits and licences.
He added that the development is split into six sub-phases, with construction on section 1A — covering 423 hectares — set to finish by December 2026.
Section 1A is already 38 per cent completed. Six companies have secured land, with two ready to begin operations by June.
“As of now, six companies are on site. They each have their own plants ready for set-up,” he explained.
He said 115 hectares out of the 370 allocated have been leased to these six early-stage customers.
Mr Dapo Oduwole, Director-General of Ogun’s Public-Private Partnerships Agency, detailed the PPP strategy aimed at improving ease of business.
Oduwole highlighted Ogun’s development pillars: Infrastructure, Social Welfare, Education, Youth Empowerment, and Agriculture.
He noted a 45-year PPP arrangement between the state government and IPRFZ to ensure long-term industrial growth.
According to him, the PPP law, established in 2019, aims to foster a more conducive climate for both local and foreign investment in Ogun.
Oduwole said Ogun leads in fostering partnerships among government, public entities, and private investors like IPRFZ.
“Establishing the PPP office reassures investors that their investments are safe and supported in Ogun,” he affirmed.
He added that the state launched ‘Open Invest’, a one-stop shop offering investors vital information across all 20 local government areas.
He said increased investors’ interest in Ogun was due to consistent business-friendly policies and strategic location.
Earlier, Manoj Bargae, IPRFZ’s General Manager for Construction, led journalists on a guided tour of the Sagamu-based free zone.
Bargae said 333 hectares fall under the free zone, while 90 hectares are designated as non-free zone areas.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that IPRFZ is ARISE IIP’s flagship infrastructure project in Nigeria.
It is developed through a strategic public-private partnership with the Ogun government.
IPRFZ aims to accelerate Nigeria’s industrial growth by promoting local value addition and facilitating trade across key sectors.
It is a collaborative effort between the state government and ARISE IIP, a pan-African developer of industrial parks.
IPRFZ is poised to attract investments, create skilled jobs, and support Nigeria’s industrial transformation agenda. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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