NEPZA Engages US Investors, Institutions at UNGA

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has called on the American Business Council, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Africa–US Chamber of Commerce, and other development partners to take advantage of the vast business opportunities available within Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones.

Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, Managing Director of NEPZA, made this appeal in his lecture titled “Free Zones and Industrial Competitiveness: Catalysing Investment Through Regulatory Innovation” at a side event during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Speaking on the theme “Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria: A New Era of Economic Opportunities,” Dr. Ogunyemi emphasized that the event was a strategic avenue to align policy initiatives with private sector capital.

According to him, Nigeria’s Free Zones are more than parcels of land; they serve as dynamic business hubs for industrial growth and platforms for credible, regionally scalable investments.

> “We are therefore asking U.S. investors and institutions to undertake site visits to Lagos Free Zone, Lekki Free Zone, Abuja Industrial Park Free Zone (AIPFZ), and other Nigerian zones to see infrastructure and anchor tenants operating.

We are seeking partnership for anchor projects that would transform into Small and Medium Enterprises’ factory shells, creating jobs and promoting local procurement content.

We also invite investors to participate in co-financing shared infrastructure that enables hundreds of tenant investments and to support the scaling up of production for exports,” he said.

Dr. Ogunyemi assured that NEPZA and its partners remain committed to supporting due diligence, providing regulatory clarity, and facilitating structures that will help investors move from dialogue to signed commitments.

He further explained that the Authority had adopted some of the world’s best mechanisms to enhance industrial competitiveness within the zones.

> “So far, the scheme has continually raised competitiveness through four linked mechanisms which include: World-class Infrastructure, Regulatory Predictability, Cluster Effects, and Market Access for our operators and investors,” he noted.

Reiterating government’s commitment, the NEPZA chief stressed that the Federal Government, through NEPZA, will continue to prioritize private capital investments in infrastructure, particularly within Public-Private Partnership (PPP) zones, describing them as key drivers of the scheme’s transformation in Nigeria.

He also urged prospective investors to consider Nigeria’s large domestic market as a launchpad for both regional expansion and international exports.

In a related development, Dr. Ogunyemi expressed gratitude to the Presidency for including NEPZA in Nigeria’s UNGA delegation and commended the leadership of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) for granting the Authority the platform to attract US investors to the free zones.