Ogun Agro-Cargo Airport: A Dream Come True

By Femi Ogbonnikan

All is now set for the inaugural ceremony of the Ogun State Agro-Cargo International Airport located at Ilishan-Remo, in IkenneLocalGovernment. The project which is sitting on about 5000 hectares of land and strategically located within the Lagos-Ibadan and the Sagamu-Benin Expressways respectively is at the heart of the industrial transformation agenda of Governor Dapo Abiodun. Thank goodness; it’s a dream come true.

Having had its first test flights on February 22, 2023, preparations are already at an advanced stage to begin full operations. The maiden test flight was one of the necessary activities leading to the full certification and licencing of the airport for safe aviation operations. For safety purposes, the airport is provided with a five-storey control tower obtainable in similar airports in developed countries.

Barring any untoward development, the Airport will commence scheduled and non-scheduled flights in a few weeks’ time.  Recently, this was disclosed by Governor Abiodun at the 13th Gateway International Trade Fair breakfast meeting with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), captains of industry, entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders, held at the MITROS Residences, GRA, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

According to him, the approval process to get the Airport running has reached an advanced stage, preparatory to the commencement of full operations. Hear from the horse’s mouth: “Our newly built Gateway International Airport which will soon be commissioned. I believe, as a matter of fact, this week, the Airport will get approval to begin to operate non-scheduled flights, meaning that private planes can now fly flights and come to that airport, just like they go to any other airport.
“I believe within the next two weeks or less, we will also get the approval for scheduled flights to begin to operate out of that airport.

“That means you can attend to your business, and bring in raw materials by air into the state.”

To the naysayers, who have dismissed it as a mere white elephant project, this is another promise kept. By his commitment to completing the money-gulping project despite the present economy, Abiodun is taking a huge step in fulfilling the dreams of his forebears. The multiplier effects of the Airport will not only boost the state’s economy but the entire country as a whole.

Already, excitement is in the air, as many industry players have described the Airport as a game-changer, noting its capacity as a catalyst for economic growth. To underscore the immense benefits of the Airport to industrial concerns, trade, and investment, Governor Abiodun disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the Special Agro-Processing Zone as a Free Trade Zone.

“A neighbouring country has indicated interest, and decided that they will not build a cargo Airport in their country. They would rather drop all their agro produce from that country to Ogun State and export their produce from our airport.

“That Airport is in a Special Agro-Processing Zone. That zone has now been approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a Free Trade Zone, so we have another Free Trade Zone,” Abiodun enthused.

Coincidently, the development of this project is coming at a time when the country is vigorously pursuing strategies to promote increased export activity, for which the Airport would be a key point of departure for export goods. The objective of the project also aligns with the African Development Bank (AfDB)-sponsored Special Agriculture Processing Zone established in the Airport in collaboration with the Federal Government. And now that the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (ACFTAA) has become effective, the benefits of the Cargo Airport to the economy of the state and the nation as a whole cannot be over-emphasized.

This is more so that the Abiodun-led Administration has decided to flag off the Kajola Inland Container Terminal, which when fully operational, would allow investors within the state the opportunity to pick up their containers, process their raw materials, and export their goods efficiently.

“We will soon be flagging off the Kajola Inland Container Terminal, called a dry port. And this, we are particularly determined to see through because we understand the plight of most of you. What you have to go through importing your raw materials into Tin Can or Apapa and incurring unnecessary expenses in demourages before bringing them by road, struggling through the bottleneck and the traffic out of Lagos.
“On completion, this Kajola Inland Terminal Dry Port will serve your purposes, meaning that you can now ship your goods from anywhere in the world, destined to Kajola and just go to Kajola, pick up your container, process your raw materials and also have the opportunity of exporting efficiently through the same channel,” Abiodun added.
In his remarks, the Zonal Director of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), Mr Lawal Hassan, noted that the state was fast becoming the first choice for investors because of the conducive business environment made possible by the reforms of Governor Abiodun.

One significant thing about this project is that several interest groups had already signified their interest in tapping into the economic opportunities that abound within the zone even while construction work was still ongoing. In the words of Governor Abiodun: “The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have requested 100 acres of land to build their base and training school. Others have signified interest in building warehouses. Cargo companies have also applied to have their presence here. 

“Those that want to go into the hospitality business have applied to build hotels. We will also have demonstration farms that would be run through an out-grower scheme.”

In addition to these business concerns, the state government had also earlier signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Arise Integrated Industrial Platform with an expectation of investment worth over $400m at the processing zone as well as the Olokola cluster.

By the time these initiatives come to fruition, there will be an increased capacity for more job creation for the teeming unemployed youths. Abiodun, while speaking ahead of the commissioning ceremony said: “The project will provide facilities for cargo processing, storage, warehouses and training centre, among others. This is an aerotropolis.
“It is not just an Airport but one that adds value to services. The agro-serving part is the most interesting. It is going to be a conglomeration of agro-processing companies that take raw materials, and turn them into finished goods.

“We will also have aggregation centres, storage facilities for agro-produce so that the agro-processing centres will not run out of raw materials. This is truly an international cargo airport. At the stage it is now, it is already attracting a lot of attention and investors.
“I don’t have any doubt that this Airport, in the first instance, will generate over 25,000 to 30,000 jobs.”

He said the Airport was designed to support Ogun state’s continued industrial and economic growth and further enhance air transport connectivity across Nigeria. In terms of its benefits, it will open up business opportunities for both local and foreign investors, thereby enhancing the status of Ogun State as the industrial capital of the country. It will further serve as an impetus for attracting more investments. The strategic location of the airport as its unique selling point would equally drive its status as an aerotropolis.

Stressing the advantage of its proximity to Lagos, the Governor noted that the Airport could be accessed from different locations. 
“Indeed, for this airport, you can access it through six locations; Lagos-Sagamu, Lagos-Ibadan, Lagos-Epe. I don’t think any Airport can rival it anywhere within this country and the facility is unique, he stated.

Without a doubt, the Airport is the type of investment that grows the economy, creates jobs, and reduces poverty, which is good for the people of Ogun State in particular and Nigerians in general. Among other things, it will increase production as well as opportunities for farmers to produce and sell their products at a good price and at a good time without any of the usual post-harvest loss on transit that is associated with agricultural produce.

It will further boost the effort of the Abiodun-led administration towards creating a stable economy through the creation of a business-friendly environment to attract both local and foreign investors to the country.
Therefore, Governor Abiodun, while speaking at the maiden edition of Nigeria Public Relations Week (NIPRW) with the theme: ‘Leveraging Public Relations As A Critical Asset For Nigeria’s Economic And Reputation Renaissance’, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, did not mince words in charging Public Relation practitioners to begin to showcase the potentials that abound in Ogun State through their professional ingenuity.

Abiodun, who was conferred as the Patron of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), also noted that the various policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aimed at putting the country on the path of economic trajectory, had started yielding positive results.
He maintained that Nigeria had become an attractive brand urging public relations specialists to start selling the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu around the world as a way of attracting more investments to boost the real sector of the economy.

Accordingly, Abiodun emphasized the need for all Nigerians to be involved in promoting the good image of the country at all times.
He said: “Exploring the power and passion of public relations to engender speedy development and sustainable growth for an economic and reputational renaissance, as the theme of this week implies, is intrinsically an essential requirement for any government.

“I recall that in the last few months and following the appointment of Mr Yemi Cardoso the CBN Governor, as he rolled out his road map of monetary policies he kept on emphasizing the determination to embark on new public relations policy for the bank which has led to the successful management of forex.

“I want to say this exactly defines the leadership being provided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to change the old order and entrench the image of a promising country with a consciousness of sustainability. Indeed, there cannot be branding without a product.

“The right steps being taken by the Federal Government towards total regurgitation of the Nigerian macro-economy, via the ‘Renewed Hope’ Agenda of Mr. President who started with very bold and decisive goals that have begun to yield positive and desired results to the admiration of patriotic Nigerians and the astonishment of pessimists.”

Abiodun stressed that some of the economic policies such as the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of naira introduced by the government at the centre to revamping the nation’s economy had started yielding positive results as the local currency gains momentum daily.

He explained that the Ogun State Government since inception had embarked on massive infrastructural amenities towards creating an enabling environment to improve on ease-of-doing business in the state which, he said, had made the state a choice of investment and fastest growing economy in the country
The governor, while promising more developmental projects across the state, emphasised that the current administration had constructed over 500 kilometres of roads across the state to ease the movement of the people, rehabilitated over 100 Primary Health Centres, and built over 4000 affordable houses as well as tackle insecurity by equipping security agencies with modern gadgets and patrol vehicles.

The President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku, disclosed that Ogun State was chosen to host the event considering its position recording firsts in the country.

He said Abiodun was conferred with the title of Patron of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations as a mark of honour for his track records which had impacted significantly on the development of Ogun State. Facts don’t lie. In terms of commitment to infrastructure development, Governor Abiodun’s performance record is second to none as far as the Gateway State is concerned.