Dangote Plans Major Establishment In Ondo

The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has reaffirmed plans to develop a large-scale industrial and free trade zone at Olokola in Ondo State.

Dangote said the proposed project would be a power-driven investment hub designed to attract manufacturers, reduce infrastructure challenges and make it easier for investors to operate.

He disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, at the Governor’s Office in Akure.

The business mogul was accompanied on the visit by the Vice President, Dangote Industries Limited, Olakunle Alake, and the Managing Director, Logistics and Infrastructure, Dangote Industries Limited, Capt. Jamil Abubakar.

Speaking during the visit, Dangote said the renewed investment framework would cover power generation, cement production, gas infrastructure and industrial manufacturing.

He explained that the proposed Olokola project would go beyond a conventional free trade zone, saying it would be equipped with power, water and logistics infrastructure to enable investors to begin operations without the usual delays associated with basic utilities.

“We want to create the biggest free trade zone where investors can just come and plug in. We will generate power, provide infrastructure, and remove the bottlenecks around doing business,” he said.

Dangote said the plan was aimed at tackling some of the key obstacles that had slowed industrial development in Nigeria over the years.

The industrialist identified unreliable electricity supply as one of the biggest challenges facing manufacturers in the country.

According to him, Nigeria’s power deficit has remained a major industrial constraint for more than three decades, forcing many manufacturers to rely on self-generated electricity to stay in business.

He said the absence of reliable power had limited industrial expansion and increased the cost of production across the country.

Dangote explained that the proposed industrial zone would adopt a different model by integrating a dedicated energy supply into the project from the beginning.

He also disclosed plans to integrate gas infrastructure through an east-west gas corridor to support energy-intensive industries within the zone.

Dangote said his group had previously attempted to develop investments in Olokola but was constrained by operational challenges at the time.

He noted that those challenges forced the company to concentrate many of its projects in Lagos.

The businessman, however, said the renewed engagement with the Ondo State Government reflected improved conditions and stronger prospects for collaboration.

According to him, contractors are expected to mobilise to the site within three to four months, while full construction is scheduled to commence in the last quarter of the year.

Dangote also said the project structure would include government participation, requesting the nomination of a state representative to the board of the industrial zone to enhance coordination and execution.

He added that the initiative would create jobs on a large scale and stimulate industrial growth across Ondo State and neighbouring regions.

The business mogul noted that similar projects in Lagos had delivered significant employment opportunities and export revenues.

Responding, Governor Aiyedatiwa welcomed Dangote’s renewed investment drive, describing it as a major milestone in the state’s industrialisation agenda.

The governor said the project aligned with his administration’s efforts to position Ondo as a leading industrial destination in the South-West.

He noted that the state’s location along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway corridor made it strategic for industrial and logistics investments.

Aiyedatiwa also highlighted the state’s deep seaport licence, which he described as a major logistics advantage capable of handling large vessels without transhipment.

The governor further disclosed that limestone deposits in the state had been tested and found suitable for industrial use.