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The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPZA, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, gave the commendation during a routine inspection visit to the project site in Abuja on Thursday.
Ogunyemi said the pace of construction had justified President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to license the Abuja Industrial Park as a Free Trade Zone, noting that the project would contribute significantly to Nigeria’s manufacturing and export growth.
Located in Idu Industrial Layout Phase IV, the 250-hectare industrial park is expected to accommodate more than 170 factories and create about 40,000 jobs, while opening the FCT to increased industrial activities.
“We are glad to see that the construction is accelerating, which has justified President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s licensing of Abuja Industrial Park as a Free Trade Zone,” Ogunyemi said.
He urged host communities to protect the project, stressing that a secure environment was essential to attracting and retaining investments of such magnitude.
The NEPZA boss, however, expressed concern over the alleged invasion of the zone by some Jiwa youths on August 8, during which a section of the perimeter fence was reportedly pulled down to create an unauthorised access road.
He described the incident as unacceptable and a direct threat to investor confidence in Nigeria’s Free Trade Zones.
According to him in a statement by Dr. Martins Odeh, Assistant Director and Head of Corporate Communications, NEPZA remains committed to maintaining harmonious relations with host and neighbouring communities and addressing legitimate concerns, it would not tolerate encroachment, destruction or theft within the zones.
He said such actions contravened Section 13(1) of the NEPZA Act, which restricts unauthorised entry, residence or presence within a free trade zone.
Ogunyemi warned that continued breaches could threaten the safety of persons and property, disrupt industrial activities and expose investments to vandalism, theft, trespass and other security risks.
He disclosed that NEPZA had alerted the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Commissioner of Police and requested the deployment of federal security infrastructure to address emerging threats around the zone.
“Our mandate is to provide a secure, stable, and globally competitive environment for investors. This breach falls short of that standard. This company has done a lot for the surrounding communities and should be supported in return,” he said.
The NEPZA Managing Director further disclosed that the Authority would hold meetings with Wike and the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, to address the road network around the industrial park.
He added that NEPZA would work with the Nigeria Police Force and the FCT Administration to investigate the incident, identify those responsible and determine whether there were any internal lapses.
Other measures, he said, include supporting the affected company in assessing losses and mitigating disruptions to its operations, reinforcing the perimeter fence, installing additional CCTV cameras and floodlights, and maintaining 24-hour internal and external security patrols across the zone.
Ogunyemi reassured existing and prospective investors that the safety of personnel and assets remained NEPZA’s top priority.
He said the incident would not deter the Authority from its commitment to making Nigeria’s Free Trade Zones a preferred destination for global investment.