By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State government has finalized an agreement with the People’s Republic of China for the establishment of the Kogi Hunan Special Economic Zone, granting it the status of a Free Trade Zone.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo announced this initiative while hosting a delegation of Chinese investors and consular officials led by the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Ms. Yan Yuqing, at the Government House in Lokoja on Tuesday.
Governor Ododo assured the Chinese delegation that the Kogi State government, in collaboration with its private sector partners, would provide the necessary infrastructure and regulatory framework to ensure the project’s smooth takeoff and timely completion.
In a statement issued by Ismaila Isah, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Ododo reaffirmed his commitment to making the Kogi Hunan Special Economic Zone a model for industrial and economic transformation.
In her remarks, Ms. Yan Yuqing, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, highlighted that the Kogi Hunan Free Trade Zone is spearheaded by the government of Hunan Province with strong backing from the Chinese government.
She emphasized that Chinese investors in Nigeria have a duty to support and participate in the project, aligning with long-standing bilateral agreements between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China
Earlier, Alhaji Inda Ali Salami, Chief Economic Adviser to the Kogi State Government, described the Kogi Hunan Free Trade Zone as an ambitious project requiring full commitment from the state government and private sector stakeholders.
He assured the Chinese delegation that the state government would adopt global best practices in free trade zone development to guarantee the project’s success.
The Kogi State Governor and members of the state’s economic team had earlier visited the Chinese Consulate in Lagos to seek investment and backing for the project, ultimately securing the partnership that has now led to the formal agreement for the takeoff of the Kogi Hunan Special Economic Zone.
