The Ogun State Government and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms have committed a $400m investment to establish the Industrial Platform Remo Free Zone, a public-private partnership initiative to boost local and foreign direct investments in the state’s economy.

The IPRFZ is located in Sagamu, Ogun State, within the ~5,000 hectares of the Remo Economic Development Cluster.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abeokuta on Tuesday, the Director-General of Ogun State Public-Private Partnerships, Dapo Oduwole, affirmed the state’s governor’s strong support for the free trade zone project.

According to Oduwole, the Ogun state government is “very excited at the public-private partnership relationship” and views it as “a key driver of the administration’s goal to close infrastructure gaps and improve the welfare of citizens.”

Oduwole noted that the IPRFZ is a 45-year investment structured in multiple phases, including the Special Agro-Processing Zone, already underway. “This is just one example of the open hand and welcoming stance of the Ogun State government toward the private sector,” he said.

He added that Ogun has taken deliberate steps to encourage investment, starting with the enactment of a Public-Private Partnership Law in 2019.

“Setting up the PPP office was very important because it was meant to give investors comfort, confidence, and knowledge that the investment is safe in Ogun State,” the PPP DG stated.

The government official noted that as part of its enabling environment, the state has established a one-stop investment centre to assist investors with information on opportunities across all 20 local government areas.

He explained that fiscal incentives such as tax reliefs and duty waivers were key reasons why investors like ARISE IIP chose to do business in Ogun State.

Oduwole told The PUNCH that while specific revenue projections are not yet available, the state government expects returns would rise steadily over time as the project matures. “We’re in year three or four of a 45-year project. The initial investment of $400 million alone is a signal of the long-term benefits,” he said.

He further noted that the zone is located near critical infrastructure, including the nearly completed international cargo airport, road networks, and a planned deep seaport. “Our goal is to make Ogun the breadbasket not just of the Southwest, but of Nigeria,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Chief Business Officer of the IPRFZ, Prasad Sane, noted that the free zone offers an integrated industrial ecosystem with streamlined services under a single-window framework.

“Whether it is customs, immigration, or other approvals, investors will not deal with government agencies directly. We handle everything,” he explained.

Sane listed the facilities being developed in the IPRFZ to include gas and power supply, wide roads, green spaces, a water treatment plant, banks, hospitals, and fire and police stations.

He revealed that 115 hectares out of the 370-hectare zone have already been leased to six companies, with over 100 more in the pipeline.

“Most importantly, why investors come in is because they want profits. And this can be done with the physical benefits they get,” he added.