…as Lekki Free Zone encourages Made-in-Nigeria goods to boost economic trade

By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The Managing Director of the Lekki Free Zone Development Company (LFZDC), Mr. Dai Shunfa, has said that Nigeria remains a safe country for business and foreign investment, urging global investors not to be discouraged by negative reports about the country.

Speaking during a media interaction at the Lekki Free Zone, Dai said the free zone has continued to attract foreign and local investors who are contributing significantly to Nigeria’s industrial and economic growth.

Dai explained that despite such misconceptions, the free zone has remained a hub of stability and productivity, housing more than 130 enterprises, out of which 67 are already in operation.

He also revealed that the zone recorded over $250 million in foreign direct investment this year alone.

According to him, more investors are coming in due to improved infrastructure and a business-friendly environment.

He said, “Actually, I think the most serious challenge we are facing to attract new investments is because there are a lot of rumors, a lot of bad news about Nigeria.

“Outside Nigeria, people are believing that we have kidnapping, we have killing every day here. So this kind of rumors left a very bad image to all the customers outside Nigeria.

“I have been here for almost 20 years. Every country has their own problem. In Nigeria, there’s no difference. The country is safe, but I don’t know why there’s a lot of bad news and rumors.

“Actually, we have more than 130 enterprises. Among the 130 of them, I think 67 of them are under operation. But your question whether we have enough or not, definitely it’s not enough.

“From January up to now, we sold more than 110 hectares of land to 16 flagship customers. This record surpassed all the records we achieved in the past seven years,” he added.

Dai said the zone discourages heavy pollution industries and has instead encouraged enterprises investing in renewable energy.

“First of all, we don’t have any heavy pollution industry here. The heavy pollution industry is not even welcome. We are also trying our best to attract green energy. Now, we have more than five or six different enterprises manufacturing solar panels.”

Speaking on the Promotion of clean energy and Made-in-Nigeria goods, Senior Manager, Legal and Compliance of LFZDC, Mr. Toluwaleke Adeyele, said the company’s operations are driven by clean energy principles and the promotion of local production.

He added that the free zone’s proximity to major infrastructure projects gives investors a comparative advantage.

He said, “Most of our enterprises don’t use diesel for power. We use natural gas for our power. Lekki Free Zone is one of the only assets now that actually has its own gas because of the opportunity of the gas pipe that was running through Dangote. So we have pipe gas right now, and most of the other free zones don’t have it.

“We are close to the Deep Sea Port, the Coastal Highway, and the gas pipeline. These things make Lekki Free Zone very strategic for manufacturers who want to produce and export directly,” he said.

Also speaking, the Marketing Manager of LFZDC, Mr. Toheeb Giwa, said the zone’s priority is to encourage local manufacturing that adds value to the Nigerian economy.

Giwa added that the zone has created thousands of direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians.

He said, “We encourage made-in-Nigeria goods here because we believe that the more we produce, the more we strengthen trade and the economy.

“The companies here are not just producing for Nigeria alone; they are producing for export. That is the vision; to make Nigeria a hub of industrial trade in West Africa.

“Every enterprise here employs Nigerians. From construction to operations, Nigerians are gaining skills and employment,” he said.

Chairman of Candel FZE, Mr. Charles Anudu, one of the earliest investors in the zone, praised the management for creating a stable environment for manufacturing and trade.

Anudu, whose company manufactures herbicides, insecticides, and liquid fertilizers, said his firm has begun exporting to Ghana and will expand to Côte d’Ivoire next year.

He said, “We were the first company to start operations here. This place has removed the Nigerian issues. There is power, there is absolute security here, and every problem is solved here. So inasmuch as it’s expensive to operate from here, we think eventually the efficiency compensates for the cost of operating from here.

“We make products that are very specialized for our terrain. The difference between us and a lot of international companies is that they make for the world, but we make for Africa.”.

Similarly, Managing Director of Langsung Electric FZE, Mr. John Anaman, described the zone as one of the safest and most efficient places to do business in Nigeria.

He said, “Every problem, every issue that we have, immediately we call upon them, they immediately call the concerned authorities to make sure that our problems are solved.

“I recommend that everyone who really wants to establish any business in Nigeria should come to Lekki Free Trade Zone because it’s very safe.”

With over 130 enterprises and a growing record of investment, the Lekki Free Zone has become a model for Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic diversification.

From green energy and electrical manufacturing to agricultural chemicals and exports, the zone is proving that Nigeria can produce, innovate, and trade competitively.