Soludo is transforming Anambra to a manufacturing and logistics hub

Despite being applauded for taking Anambra to the 7th position in Nigeria in terms of the ease of doing business according to the 2023 Nigeria Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report and the achievements in road construction, Governor Chukwuma Soludo is not resting on his oars. With the Anambra Industrial City Project, Governor Soludo is on the verge of transforming the state into a major manufacturing and logistics hub in Nigeria.

In the last 20 months, the Governor Soludo-led administration has focused on foundational issues such as developing frameworks and urban renewal masterplans, reworking the state’s security architecture, getting investors’ buy-in on projects, enhancing social welfare programmes and building basic infrastructure.

Having concluded these required foundational issues, all is now set to unleash the economic potentials of Anambra State with the Anambra Industrial City Project.

Also known as Ikenga Industrial City, the Anambra Industrial City is a proposed mixed-use development facility which features an industrial zone, commercial and retail spaces, research and development facilities, residential areas and recreation centers. The city will sit on a 4000-hectare of land. The planned city will increase Anambra’s potentials for exporting finished and semi-finished products to the rest of the world. The Anambra Industrial City shall have a special economic zone (SEZ) status.

A special economic zone (SEZ) is a broad term which covers a wide range of zones, such as free-trade zones, export-processing zones, industrial parks, economic and technology-development zones, high-tech zones, science and technology parks, free ports, enterprise zones, and others.

Fundamentally, a SEZ is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZ promotes industrialization, encourages foreign investment and promotes international trade.
A couple of free zones in Lagos stand out. These are: Lagos Free Zone (LFZ); Snake Island Integrated Free Zone (SIIFZ); Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ); LADOL; Newsrest ASL Services & Logistics; Dangote Industries; and Alaro City Development Free Zone Badagary Creek Integrated Plant.

In order to reap the benefits of SEZ, Anambra State Government, last October, formally submitted an Expression-of-Interest (EOI) and made payment to Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) for a special economic zone license. With this application, Anambra State is expected to join states such as Lagos which has been able to attract over $22 billion investment in its free zones – i.e., special economic zones.

The development of Anambra Industrial City is in top gear. A few days ago, Anambra State Government welcomed a delegation from ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP). The state government had signed an agreement with ARISE IIP at the 2023 Intra-Africa Trade Fair (IATF) in Egypt in November for the development of Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City.

ARISE IIP finances, conceives and operates industrial ecosystems across Africa. ARISE IIP has footprints in Gabon with the Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ), in Benin with the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) and in Togo with the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA). The company is currently developing industrial zones in Côte d’Ivoire and Chad. These zones will mainly be dedicated to the processing of local agricultural products in Côte d’Ivoire and Chad.

A few weeks ago, a delegation from Anambra was in Togo and Benin Republic to understudy some of ARISE IIP’s signature projects. The plan is to replicate similar structures in Anambra.

At the moment, a delegation from Artelia Consulting Engineers Limited (formerly Mahindra Consulting Engineers) is in Anambra State for a feasibility study geared towards the development of a master plan for the proposed Mixed-Used Industrial City. The conceptual and design works for this industrial city are taking shape.

To power the Anambra Industrial City, you need gas and, of course, renewable energy. Gas is needed to power industrialization in Anambra State. To this end, the state government is already working out modalities with investors and the NNPC on how to expand natural gas infrastructure in the state.

Anambra is rich in gas. Out of the thirteen acreages in the Anambra Basin, nine are located within Anambra State. Unfortunately, only two of these acreages are currently being exploited.

To improve gas utilization in Anambra State, the state’s ministry of petroleum and Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA) are working hard through the use of special purpose vehicles to increase investment in the solid mineral and gas space in Anambra.

With Afreximbank providing financial advisory services for the development of an operational and governance framework for the $250 million Anambra Diaspora Fund, it is envisaged that the people of Anambra living all over the world can share in this prosperity.
It is a new dawn in Anambra!

Nwankwo is the special adviser to Soludo on special projects.