The Kogi State Government has secured a landmark partnership with Hunan Province, China, aimed at enhancing development across key sectors including agriculture, mining, and Ajaokuta industrial park. This collaboration, formalized during a high-level visit by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and his delegation to China, is set to position Kogi as a prime investment destination in Nigeria.
According to the Kogi State’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, the Governor’s trip was a “masterstroke that will change the investment narrative of Kogi State.” The partnership with Hunan will boost the state’s agricultural and solid mineral sectors while attracting foreign investments and advancing collaboration towards the realization of the Ajaokuta Industrial Park.
Hunan Province, with its capital city in Changsha, is one of China’s largest provinces, boasting a GDP in excess of N1 trillion. The province’s successful model of industrial parks has fueled its impressive economic growth, making it an ideal partner for Kogi State.
The agreements signed by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and Governor Mao Weiming of Hunan Province focus on the development of an Industrial Park in Ajaokuta, Kogi State. This Industrial Park is expected to serve as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), creating opportunities for both local and international investors.
“As part of the collaboration, a series of investment-related meetings have been held, with the support of Hunan officials, to identify anchor and tenant investors for the Industrial Park. Early progress has been promising, with several Chinese investors expressing strong interest in the project, marking significant ‘quick wins’ for the partnership,” Fanwo said.
“The economic potential of Kogi State is now firmly on the international radar. The agreements signed with Hunan Province are just the beginning of a new era of industrial growth, global partnerships, and sustainable development for our state,” Fanwo added.
