Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has met with top Chinese investors as part of his administration’s continuous effort to expand the state’s economic frontiers, attract fresh investments, and position Ogun as Nigeria’s leading industrial and digital innovation hub.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the visit formed part of the governor’s investment drive to promote the state’s various industrial clusters and strengthen its digital economy.
During the visit, Governor Abiodun and his economic team held strategic engagements with Inspur, one of China’s foremost IT firms based in Shandong Province. The company took the team through its history and operations, sharing insights that resonated with Ogun’s vision for its Tech Hub initiative.
According to the statement, the meeting reinforced the government’s belief that with the right partnerships, Ogun State can emerge as Africa’s leading digital innovation center.
“Our 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,” the statement said.
The governor also met with Mrs. Linshuang Zhang (Esther), Chairman of Royal Ceramic, which operates a state-of-the-art factory in Sagamu. Her visit, the statement noted, reflected growing investor confidence in Ogun’s business-friendly policies. Mrs. Zhang commended the administration’s infrastructure development, improved security, and enabling environment that allow manufacturers to thrive.
Governor Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to sustain the growth trajectory.
“We are committed to creating the right atmosphere for investment, innovation, and industrial expansion. It gives us pride that investors such as Royal Ceramic recognize these achievements, validating our resolve to keep Ogun State at the forefront of Nigeria’s industrial revolution,” he said.
In another engagement, the governor’s team met with the Managing Director of Lee Group, who announced plans for new investments in Ogun State worth about $50 million. The expansion will include additional factories in the food processing sector targeting exports to the United States and Europe, alongside the growth of the company’s detergent business—Nigeria’s market leader.
Governor Abiodun described the development as another testament to the attractiveness of Ogun as an emerging industrial capital, noting that the projects would generate more jobs and boost economic activities across the value chain.
The governor also held high-level discussions with Mr. Zhou Naixiang, Governor of Shandong Province, to rekindle and strengthen the Shandong–Ogun Economic and Trade Partnership, in line with the Nigeria-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreed between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Xi Jinping at the 2024 Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing.
“This engagement reflects our commitment to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative, by expanding the frontiers of investment and cooperation for the benefit of our people.”
“We are exploring opportunities in key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, and human capital development,” Abiodun said.
In continuation of the investment drive, Governor Abiodun met with Wang Xinsheng, Mayor of Rizhao, to deepen economic and cultural ties between Ogun and the Chinese coastal city.
He emphasized the importance of the Olokola Deep Sea Port Project, describing it as crucial to positioning Ogun as Nigeria’s leading industrial and maritime hub and a gateway for enhanced Africa-Asia trade.
He also outlined the state’s mineral potential and readiness to partner with global players for exploration and value addition, noting that such collaborations would spur industrialization and job creation.
Governor Abiodun concluded that beyond economic collaboration, people-to-people exchanges and cultural partnerships with Rizhao would strengthen bilateral relations and foster educational and tourism development.
The engagements, he said, are milestones in Ogun’s global investment drive and reaffirm the state’s position as a preferred destination for international partnerships.
