The Federal Government has reassured residents of Ekiti state of its commitment to making the state a major Free Trade Zone in Nigeria.
The government said this would support the state in delivering economic and knowledge-free zone where education-based industries and technology companies could operate.
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, said this during a courtesy visit to the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Thursday.
Adesugba explained that the establishment of the economic zone would boost the economy of the state and increase its Internally Generated Revenue as well as reduce over-reliance on federal allocation.
He also commended the Ekiti government for being proactive by creating education and knowledge zone giving the assurance that the free trade zone would be ready within 18 months.
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He urged drivers and captains of industries to invest in the state when the zone was ready.
“I personally came to Ekiti to express the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to support the state in delivering economic and knowledge-free zone.
“Government is committed to making Ekiti home of blockchain technology, where technological companies and other industries that have things to do with education will be ready to invest.
”Ekiti is known for education and ideas innovation and this is where we are going to show the world that Nigeria has arrived,” he said.
The NEPZA managing director further said that the first thing was to get a presidential declaration to make Ekiti a free zone.
”Oyebanji has given a matching order and within 18 months, we will get so many industries, both virtual and on-sight there,” he said.
