Identifying opportunities for increased commercialization and investment

Ibadan which translates loosely to mean the city at the edge of the savannah is the capital city of Oyo State and is the third largest metropolitan area by population, in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano. It has a population of about 3,565,108 million people according to the GeoNames geographical database. Ibadan which is located in the south-western part of Nigeria is also the largest metropolitan geographical area with 128 km inland northeast of Lagos and 530 km southwest of Abuja, the federal capital, and is a prominent transit point between the coastal region and the areas to the north. The area which once held the title of the largest and most populous city in the country and the third in Africa after Cairo and Johannesburg has given way to other cities such as Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt in terms of development and population.
Ibadan has had its share of organic growth and development over the years and at present can boast of infrastructures like various modes of transport, social amenities, various colleges and institutes of learning; of worthy note is The University of Ibadan which happens to be the first university in Nigeria, health care facilities like The University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, a pace setting medical facility in Nigeria and Africa and of recent a huge rebranding and expansion of the amenities available in the city. It is no wonder that some businesses have set up branches in Ibadan but what is the driving force behind their decision to see this ancient city as a modern economic jungle?
Counted as one of the five agriculture producing states, Ibadan is known for the production of cocoa, cassava, cotton, timber, rubber, and palm oil with concentration in the processing of agricultural products; Tobacco processing and Cigarette (Manufacture); flour-milling, leather-working and furniture-making. All these can only thrive with structures and facilities like economic policies to support new investments and guarantee the safety of such enterprise with deregulating and divesting of interests in state funded companies. In recent times, the city has witnessed a new type of rebirth which has further opened the area to more investment opportunities.
The retail investment business made a debut in Ibadan with the opening of the two malls, the Cocoa and Heritage Malls located in the premises of the famous 24-storey Cocoa House located in Dugbe, the central business district of Ibadan. This has lead to the awaking of the central business district of Dugbe area in Ibadan coursing it to come alive with economic activities. In light of this, there is now significant attention directed at property re-development in the city.
Upon the completion of the major roads under construction, there will be a spillover effect of the population explosion and growth which will in turn attract more retail outlets, resorts and other forms of investments.
The real estate industry in Ibadan in particular will begin to enjoy a boost. Most important to consider is the question ‘do we have the right model for this upgrade so as to contribute positively to Nigeria’s economy at large?’ You guess is as good as mind.

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God bless u for dis it high time ppl giv ibadan dat deserved respect... very peaceful .... bright....