Olushola Omogbehin
Aliko Dangote, has revealed his plans to build Nigeria’s largest industrial zone in Olokola in Ondo State.
Dangote, the richest man in Africa disclosed this yesterday during a courtesy visit to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in Akure.
The proposed industrial industrial zone which construction is expected to begin in the last quarter of this year will drive large-scale manufacturing, create jobs, and position Ondo as a key destination for both local and foreign investment.
According to him, the project would include integrated investments in power generation, cement production, gas infrastructure, and industrial manufacturing.
He said the initiative is part of the Dangote’s group strategies to expand its industrial footprint across Nigeria and deepen value addition in critical sectors.
“We want to create the biggest free trade zone where investors can come and plug in. We will generate power, provide infrastructure and remove bottlenecks to doing business,” he said.
He reiterated that the Olokola project would go beyond a conventional free trade zone by providing dedicated power, water, and logistics infrastructure to support seamless operations.
Maintaining that construction would commence in the fourth quarter of 2026, he said preparatory work has commenced.
To address unreliable electricity which has been Nigeria’s industrial challenge, he said the industrial zone would integrate a dedicated energy supply, supported by gas infrastructure through a proposed east–west gas corridor.
