All States in Nigeria have been asked to take part in the free trade zone scheme by applying through the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority NEPZA.
The chief executive officer of the authority, Mr. Adesoji Adesugba made the call during a press briefing.
He promised to give special attention to Akwaibom State in sothern Nigeria, following complaints of difficulty in obtaining the license from NEPZA,
He said, “I’m not sure we have records of Akwaibom applying for any free zone licence, and we are inviting them if they still desire to have a free zone, because it is our desire to have a free zone in each state of the country regardless of who is the political head we’re talking of the economy, we’re talking of Nigeria, poverty does not know party, the president has been magnanimous he has treated everybody equally under the economic development agenda using the free zone scheme and in this light, it is also on record that we’ve be working very closely with every state that so desires “
According to Mr. Adesugba, working on infrastructural development which would ease transactions in the free trade zones is also being focused on.
“We just commissioned the port, it cost 1.2 billion US dollars, the free port, and that free port if you look at the project management that went through setting up that free space, within three four years as in up and going as a critical infrastructure for Nigeria. We have the Lekky free zone , we have the Lagos free zone,” he stated.
Mr Adesugba further explained how a free trade zone works which is any location where goods can be shipped, handled, manufactured, reconfigured and re-exported without the involvement of customs agencies.
A major sea port, an international airport, or a border facility between two or more countries may designated as a free trade zone.
” They also export into Nigeria it’s a very interesting concept really they’re meant for export so they export to Ghana, they export to west Africa, they export outside Africa now with AFCFTA they export to all other African countries but coming into Nigeria they also export into Nigeria so that cuts that cost of freight”
The free trade zone aims at providing job opportunities for Nigeria’s rapid growing population.
Confidence Okwuchi
