Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has called on Chinese investors to partner with the state in harnessing its vast mineral resources.
The governor made the appeal on Tuesday while receiving the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Yu Dunhai, during a courtesy visit to his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Abiodun noted that Ogun is richly endowed with natural resources, making it the nation’s leading contributor in the non-oil sector, and stressed the need for coordinated exploration backed by genuine foreign investment.
“Ogun State is blessed with gold, clay, bitumen, limestone, kaolin, glass sand, granite, among others. We are also number one in cassava, eggs, poultry, and fish production.
Our land supports cocoa, rubber, and cashew cultivation. We are the largest cement producer in Nigeria and third in Africa, behind Egypt and Morocco,” the governor said.
He added that Ogun boasts the highest number of educational institutions in the country, giving it a vast human capital advantage.
“We look forward to partnering with Chinese investors in exploring our natural resources because, unfortunately, some of your nationals have connived with locals to mine illegally without regard for the environment,” Abiodun said.
Highlighting reforms to attract investors, the governor pointed to his administration’s emphasis on Public-Private Partnerships, creation of pro-business agencies to cut red tape, and investments in a multimodal transport network linking air, rail, and road.
He disclosed that the newly constructed state airport had received approval from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to commence commercial flights, while work was ongoing on the Kajola Dry Inland Port and plans for a deep seaport at Olokola.
Abiodun urged Chinese investors to also take advantage of Ogun’s arable land and expand into agriculture, stressing that the state is positioning itself as Nigeria’s food basket.
He accepted an invitation to visit Shandong Province during its roadshow exhibition to showcase Ogun’s opportunities.
In his remarks, Ambassador Yu Dunhai said Ogun already hosts about 160 Chinese companies with investments exceeding $1bn at the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Igbesa, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, with another 100 companies expected soon.
He attributed the influx to Ogun’s business-friendly climate, good weather, and hospitable people.
He also confirmed that Nigeria remains China’s largest trading partner in Africa, adding that recent bilateral agreements signed by Presidents Bola Tinubu and Xi Jinping aim to further strengthen ties.
While warning against illegal activities such as unlicensed mining, the envoy assured that the Chinese government would not condone its nationals breaking Nigerian laws.
“They must operate legally. We encourage Chinese companies to come to Nigeria because it is Africa’s largest market. They have created jobs, boosted manufacturing and trade, and contributed significantly to investment here,” Dunhai said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone, Hajia Hafsat Balewa, said the zone had contributed significantly to the Gross Domestic Product of both Ogun State and Nigeria, stressing that the visit reinforced the deepening of China-Nigeria relations.
