Nigeria Launches Investopidia; Ogun State Leads AfCFTA Investment Drive at IATF25

At the ongoing 25th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF25) in Algiers, Algeria, Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum (NGF) has launched Investopidia, an innovative and transformative platform designed to showcase bankable investment projects across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The platform aims to move Nigeria’s states from investment fragmentation and opacity to a new era of coordination, transparency, and performance, thereby unlocking the vast economic potential within the country under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Investopidia highlights a diverse range of sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, energy, information and communication technology, and finance. It serves as a one-stop entry point for global and African investors to identify credible opportunities and understand how to invest confidently, bridging Nigeria’s massive annual infrastructure financing gap estimated at $100 billion.

Ogun State, represented at the event by Governor Dapo Abiodun, showcased its strategic initiatives aimed at positioning the state as Nigeria’s leading African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) hub. Ogun is breaking traditional barriers to intra-African trade, which currently accounts for only about 15% of total continental trade, hampered by weak infrastructure and fragmented value chains.

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Key highlights of Ogun State’s investment agenda unveiled at the panel titled “Investment Showcase: Unveiling Opportunities from Select African & Caribbean Sub-Sovereigns” include:

• Multi-Modal Infrastructure Development: The Gateway International Agro Cargo Airport, located in Ilishan/Iperu, is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and features a 4-kilometer runway capable of handling large aircraft like Boeing 777 and Airbus 330. The airport aims to function as a vital export hub, especially for non-oil products. Additionally, Ogun boasts the Ijebu-Ode and Kajola Dry Ports, over 1,200 kilometers of upgraded roads, and expanded gas reticulation networks.
• Economic Development Clusters & Free Trade Zones: Ogun is home to several Special Economic Clusters including the Remo Economic Development Cluster anchored by the Gateway Airport, the Ijebu Economic Development Cluster with close proximity to the Dangote Refinery and Agro-Allied Industries, the Agbara Industrial Cluster, and the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone. These zones are designed for co-location of industries, shared utilities, and value chain optimization to maximize efficiency and attract investment.
• Simplification of Investment Processes: OgunInvest, the state’s One-Stop Investment Center, coupled with a GIS-enabled Land Bank of over 300,000 hectares of pre-verified land, facilitates rapid processing of permits, titles, and approvals, significantly reducing bureaucratic delay.
• Policy Certainty and Risk Mitigation: The 2019 Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Law provides a robust legal framework supporting investments. Ogun State collaborates with financial institutions such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and maintains proactive dialogues with industry stakeholders to ensure stability and clarity.
• Strategic Location Advantage: Ogun State benefits from seamless access to Lagos seaports, ECOWAS regional markets, and the Benin Republic border, making it an ideal gateway for regional distribution and intra-African trade.

Governor Abiodun emphasized that Ogun State, through these efforts, is converging scale, speed, and certainty to unlock shared prosperity under the AfCFTA framework, serving as a model for subnational investment-driven growth across Africa.

The Investopidia platform will be published biennially in print and digital formats, presented at global forums—including the UN General Assembly, the Africa Investment Forum, and the Intra-African Trade Fair—to spotlight investment opportunities and accelerate implementation. Supported by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum Fund, strategic partners like Afreximbank, UNDP, and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Investopidia seeks to catalyze private sector-led growth and regional integration.

With the bold step of launching Investopidia and Ogun State’s pioneering projects, Nigeria sends a compelling message: its states are investment-ready, transparent, and prepared to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s economic future.