The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has called on the American Business Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Africa–U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other development partners to tap into the vast opportunities available in Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones.
The Managing Director of NEPZA, Dr Olufemi Ogunyemi, made the call in his lecture titled “Free Zones and Industrial Competitiveness: Catalysing Investment Through Regulatory Innovation” at a side event of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Dr Ogunyemi stated that the event, themed “Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria: A New Era of Economic Opportunities,” was a vital platform to align policy action with private capital.
The NEPZA boss explained that Nigeria’s Free Zones were not merely parcels of land but practical business enclaves for industrial upgrading and platforms for credible, regionally scalable investments.
According to him, “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 in operation.”
“We are seeking partnerships 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,” Dr Ogunyemi said.
He assured participants that NEPZA was ready to provide regulatory clarity, facilitate due diligence, and establish structures that would enable a smooth transition from investment dialogue to concrete commitments.
The NEPZA Chief Executive Officer further explained that the country’s foremost Free Trade Zone regulator had adopted some of the world’s best practices to enhance the industrial competitiveness of the zones.
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“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 said.
Dr Ogunyemi reiterated that the Nigerian Government, through NEPZA, would continue to prioritise private capital in building infrastructure, currently anchored in both private and public–private partnership (PPP) zones, adding that these were the principal drivers of the scheme’s rapid transformation.
He further encouraged U.S. investors to consider Nigeria’s vast domestic market as a springboard for regional growth and international exports.