By Unknown
Copyright nigerianeye
Ogun state government says Lee Group, a Chinese firm
involved in detergent production, plans to invest $50 million in the state to
increase production.
Kayode Akinmade, special adviser to Dapo Abiodun, Ogun state
governor on media and strategy, announced in a statement on Saturday.
According to Akinmade, the investment plan was revealed
during the governor’s visit to China alongside his economic team.
Akinmade said the team had a strategic meeting with the managing
director of Lee Group.
“This is yet another testament to the attractiveness of our
State as the emerging industrial capital of Nigeria, and we remain committed to
sustaining policies that make Ogun a preferred destination for global
investors,” the statement read.
“We are equally delighted to note that Lee Group is
expanding its detergent business, which proudly stands as the number one in
Nigeria in terms of sales. This expansion will not only consolidate their
market leadership but also create more job opportunities for our people and
stimulate economic activities across the value chain.
“In addition, Lee Group is broadening its footprint in the
food processing sector with the establishment of two new factories dedicated to
exports to the United States and Europe.
“This bold step underscores the growing confidence of
international markets in products made in Ogun State, while also positioning
our State as a hub for export-driven industrialisation.”
During the visit, Abiodun also sought investment in China to
expand the state’s economy through strategic partnerships and investments.
Akinmade said the team met with Inspur, one of the foremost
information technology (IT) firms in China, which took the team through the
history of the company’s existence and its vision for the future.
The team, according to Akinmade, found their trajectory
mirrored the Ogun Tech Hub concept, reinforcing the government’s conviction that
Ogun state can become a digital innovation hub in Africa with the right
partnerships and support for its ICT companies.
The spokesperson said the team’s “conversations with Inspur
were focused on how we can translate this meeting into meaningful
collaborations that will drive knowledge exchange, create opportunities for our
people, and further strengthen the foundation of our digital economy”.
Also, Akinmade said the team played host to Linshuang Zhang,
the chairman of Royal Ceramic, a foremost player in Nigeria’s ceramic
manufacturing industry, with their state-of-the-art factory situated in Sagamu,
Ogun state.
Her presence, according to Akinmade, was not only a mark of
respect but also a testament to the growing confidence of industrial giants in
the state’s administration’s vision for a prosperous Ogun state.
The spokesperson said Zhang commended the governor for
transforming Ogun into a business-friendly environment through infrastructure
development, strengthened security, and enabling policies.
Furthermore, Abiodun reaffirmed the state’s commitment to
sustaining the trajectory of growth by continuing to create the right
atmosphere for investment, innovation, and industrial expansion.
“It gives us great pride that investors such as Royal
Ceramic recognize and celebrate these achievements, further validating our
resolve to keep Ogun State at the forefront of Nigeria’s industrial
revolution,” the governor said.
ABIODUN, SHANDONG PROVINCE GOVERNOR MEET TO STRENGTHEN
PARTNERSHIP
Also, Akinmade said Abiodun had an engagement with Zhou
Naixiang, governor of Shandong Province, as part of efforts to rekindle and
strengthen a Shandong–Ogun state economic and trade partnership under the
broader Nigeria–China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (NCSP).
The spokesperson said the engagement was in line with the
earlier agreement between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Xi Jinping
at the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, in September 2024.
Commenting on the engagement, the governor said it is a
reflection of “our unwavering commitment to the Renewed Hope Initiative of our
President exemplified by expanding the frontiers of investment and cooperation
for the benefit of our people”.
“During our discussions, we are exploring opportunities in
key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, and
human capital development,” Abiodun said.
The statement also said Abiodun met with Wang Xinsheng,
mayor of Rizhao, earlier on Saturday, to deepen economic and cultural ties
between Ogun and the Chinese coastal city.
At the meeting, Abiodun emphasised the centrality of the
Olokola deep sea port project to the future of Ogun, noting that its
development would not only position the state as Nigeria’s leading industrial
and maritime hub, but also serve as a gateway for enhanced trade between Africa
He said the discussions with Rizhao – a city renowned for
its thriving port economy – were aimed at fostering collaboration that will
bring world-class technical expertise and investment into the project.
Abiodun highlighted Ogun’s mineral wealth and potential for
industrial partnerships, while also emphasising the importance of cultural and
people-to-people exchanges with Rizhao to boost bilateral relations.
The meeting with the mayor, the governor noted, is another
milestone in Ogun’s international investment drive, reinforcing the state’s
attractiveness as “a preferred destination for global partnerships”.
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