Aareonakakanfo:
I'll make sure i post a lot of South-west related news tomorrow so we can discuss.There's a lot going on and i feel we should treat every news till we exhaust it.Ilekeh and Eleko what do you think about that?

Wetin u say, till Ilekeh exhaust me? Na lie. That Ilekeh around her waist na me go break am! She go wake up with triple mayors planted in her body. Let her try!

Aareonakakanfo:
I'll make sure i post a lot of South-west related news tomorrow so we can discuss.There's a lot going on and i feel we should treat every news till we exhaust it.Ilekeh and Eleko what do you think about that?

I like the idea if we can actually make it work. This will be good for Yoruba Hour. I think we shouldn't limit Yoruba hour to just Yoruba, ni to ri Laudate, Shymmex ati the trinidadian queen.

MayorofLagos:


Wetin u say, till Ilekeh exhaust me? Na lie. That Ilekeh around her waist na me go break am! She go wake up with triple mayors planted in her body. Let her try!

Lol please stop before the wicked witch of the west comes bak to attack me because of You.

None of that. Keep this on Yoruba topic.

Aare, stop enabling him.

I think, by just posting news, it's not helping us to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each news.

Having a brief or expatiated discussion about important topics will help us to understand what we, as individuals, can contribute to Yoruba Interest and development.

[size=14pt]Ogun State Attracts $10 billion Investment as 50 New Firms Berth (Nigeria)
[/size]

Ogun State has become a Mecca for investors, having attracted a total of 50 new firms and investments worth $10 billion since the inception of the Ibikunle Amosun administration.

Bimbo Ashiru, commissioner for commerce and industry, disclosed this during a get-together meeting between the National Assembly and the private sector, represented by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

According to Ashiru, this was an indication of a clement business environment in Ogun, as the continuing improvement in the investment in the state should be extended nationally.

Investors in Agbara had even committed some of their resources to developing the area as they recently agreed to contribute 30 percent to a road construction while the government contributes 70 percent, Ashiru said, stating that the road would soon be commissioned.

Ogun is currently considered an investment hub, especially for manufacturers who now are ramping up investments on plant there, while having offices in Lagos or any other part of the country.

Agbara, particularly, has become an industry cluster and is developing into a mega city, with hotels and businesses.

Recently, the West African Ceramics Limited pledged a $50 million investment there, even when its head office is at Ajaokuta, Kogi State. Procter & Gamble (P&G) is investing $300 million for the establishment of its plant for the production of personal care products.

So many other firms have also announced investments in the city or have already begun production. Firms such as Unilever, Evans Medical, Tower Group, among others, also have plants in the state. Due to the influx of firms in the state, Ogun has Ota-Agbara Chamber of Commerce and Abeokuta Chamber of Commerce, unlike the practice in some states where there is only one chamber of commerce.

On her part, Sola Oworu, commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Lagos State, said the state had established a public-private partnership office because the present government believed that the private sector should be left with what it knew how best to do, while the government should only be burdened with creating the right atmosphere for business, adding that as the country moved into a transition period, law enforcement and level-playing ground for all stakeholders needed to be a priority.

She said the state had established a corporate assembly, which provided a platform for officials to listen to agitations and issues raised by the business community while giving reports on the ones that had been treated.

Aareonakakanfo:



We can make it work if people don't break the rules.There are too many Bruce-lees on this thread.Na true you talk,they should be allowed to type in english to carry everybody along plus the fact that they're some of the most consistent/important contributors to this thread

Bee lo so, bee ni.

[size=14pt]Turkish company to invest $200 million in Ogun
[/size]

The industrialization drive of the Ogun State Government has attracted a 200 million dollar investment, which is expected to generate no fewer than 1000 employment.

The Executive Board Member and Coordinator, Overseas Investments, Hayat Kimya Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ali Zeybek said “having carried out a thorough business survey of the ECOWAS countries, we chose Nigeria due to its vast capital market and Ogun state in particular due to its unequalled conducive business environment.

“We intend to invest at least between $180million to $200million at optimal capacity while not less than 1000 people will be on the company’s payroll”, he added.

Zeybek revealed this when he led the management of the company to visit the state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun in his office in Abeokuta yesterday.

According to him, Hayat Kimya Nigeria Limited is not just a household name in Turkey, its hub, but also has indelible footprints in the production and supply of baby diaper, tissue, detergent and other household consumptions across Africa.

Responding, Amosun said the state is strategically located for domestic circulation of goods and even to the international market because it shares borders with Lagos, Oyo, Ondo and Osun states as well as Benin Republic.

He urged them to use the opportunity to positively impact on the state through Corporate Social Responsibility and help train the youths in the state.

“We are not taking our investors for granted, that is why we are investing a lot in the area of security to put their minds at rest and ensure their comforts across the state while they do their business”, the governor said.

[size=14pt]Procter and Gamble’s $250 Million New Investment to Boost Nigeria’s Non-Oil Sector (Ogun)[/size]

U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Terence McCulley visited Procter & Gamble’s $250 million investment in a new plant site at the Agbara Industrial Estate in Ogun state on June 4. The new plant in Agbara, makes Procter & Gamble the largest U.S. non-oil investment in Nigeria. The company is the world’s largest consumer goods manufacturer and the largest U.S. manufacturing company in Nigeria.

A ground breaking ceremony for the new plant has been scheduled for July 10.

Earlier in his visit, Ambassador McCulley had toured the company’s mobile clinic spot in Ogere, Ogun State. The clinic provides social sustainability programs that impact and improve the health needs and lives of the local community.

In January 18, 2012, the company won the prestigious U.S. Secretary of State Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) for 2011. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who presented P&G Nigeria with the award, said Procter & Gamble was being honored for demonstrating "an exceptional impact in giving back to the communities where they do business."

"They are setting the highest standards for corporate social responsibility. They are showing the world that it is indeed possible to do well by doing good.” Secretary Clinton said.

[size=14pt]Ogun speaker appeals for investment from Diaspora
[/size]

Abeokuta, Nov. 3, 2015 (NAN) The Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Mr Suraj Adekunbi, on Tuesday called for foreign direct investment to complement the ongoing developmental strides in the state.
Adekunbi made this known in a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media, Mr Waheed Akinola, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta.
He called on Nigerians in the Diaspora to partner the government by bringing their expertise and funds to bear in making Nigeria an industrial hub in Africa.
The statement quoted the speaker as saying that the government had done much to attract and secure investment in the state.
It said the speaker, who was at the annual dinner staged by the Speaker of Hackney Borough, Sade Etti in London, stressed the need for collaboration in tackling unemployment and raising revenue of the state.
According to the statement, Adekunbi used the occasion to roll out the various projects embarked upon by the sitting administration which include road construction, health care delivery, education, security, among others.
It said that Etti assured of her readiness to help in attracting investment and persuading Nigerians to join the government of Ogun in its bid to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
She expressed her conviction in the state government’s effort towards making it investors’ destination of choice in sub Sahara Africa. (NAN)

[size=14pt]Nigeria commissions US$380mn steel mill in Ogun State[/size]

Nigeria has inaugurated a US$380mn integrated steel mill in Shagamu, Ogun State as part of the country’s industrial revolution plan (NIRP)
steelmill-DanielFoster-flickrMinister Olusegun Aganga stated that steel was at the heart of a country’s economic development. (Image source: Daniel Foster/Flickr)n
The steel mill was built by the Standard Metallurgical Company (SMC), and is ranked one of the largest private sector investments in Nigeria’s steel sector.
The establishment of Phase-I of the SMC steel mill and the ground-breaking of Phase-II of the project would complement SMC’s existing investments in the agri-business sub-sector of the country.
According to Olusegun Aganga, minister of trade, industry and investment in Nigeria, the government was committed to repositioning Nigeria’s steel sector as a substantial share in global wealth, estimated at US$10 trillion.
”Before this administration came on board, we had less than five functioning steel rolling mills and no cold-rolled steel mill, but today there are more than 15 functioning steel rolling mills producing reinforced bars; about three functioning cold-rolled steel mills producing cold-rolled flat sheets; and nearly three producing or about to commence the production of wire coils. This is visible evidence that our policies are working,” he said.
Aganga stated that steel was at the heart of a country’s economic development and is wid

[size=14pt]Ogun safe for foreign investments, says European Investment Bank chief[/size]

As the second edition of Ogun state Investors’ Forum organised by the Ibikunle Amosun led administration came to a close in Abeokuta, Vice President of the European Investment Bank, EIB, Anton Rop yesterday attested that the state is stable enough to attract foreign investments into Nigeria.

The EIB number two man also said that small and medium enterprises, SMES, in the country have the chance of benefiting from certain financial support from the bank.

Rop,who is also a former Prime Minister of Slovenia in his keynote address on the theme: “Attracting Foreign Investments in Urban Development”, noted that the state had achieved the level of stability that conferred on it, the confidence of foreign investors from across the world.

He acknowledged that Ogun possessed all that would be needed to attract foreign investors, also stated that noted that the state has carved out for itself, a status that would make it serve as a model to other states in Nigeria and Africa as an investment destination.

“The potential investors in Ogun face stability. Ogun State knows where it wants to go. The main question is where it wants to go. Ogun State has energy, vision. It can do it. I strongly believe that Ogun state is stable and is prepared’’.

[size=14pt]Nestlé opens N12 billion factory in Ogun State [/size]

Ogun State, Nigeria – 3 February 2011: Nestlé, the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company, today
inaugurated a new factory in Ogun State, Nigeria. With an investment of N12 billion (CHF 87 million), the Flowergate
Factory is key to Nestlé’s growth in Nigeria and in Africa as a whole and will be initially dedicated to the production of
MAGGI products. This new factory is Nestlé’s 27th in Africa and will further strengthen Nestlé Nigeria’s role as the
largest culinary manufacturing operation on the African continent. The inauguration was attended by the Vice
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo, GCON, Otunba Gbenga Daniel,
Governor of Ogun State and Paul Bulcke, Nestlé CEO.
Spread over an area of 36.3 hectares, the new 12-hectare facility specializes in the production of MAGGI products
and more specifically in Popularly Positioned Products (PPP) varieties of this popular brand. Nestlé’s PPPs are
products adapted to meet the specific requirements of emerging consumers in terms of price, accessibility, format,
and nutritional benefits and they are a key driver for the future growth of Nestlé’s operations in Nigeria. Many of the
MAGGI products in Africa are iodine fortified in order to help combat iodine deficiencies among the local population.
Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé S.A. Paul Bulcke said: “Nestlé has been operationally present in Nigeria for 50 years,
bringing meaningful value to society at large by sourcing locally, creating new local employment, offering nutritious
products and helping in the further development of the region. By opening our new facility in Ogun State we will be
closer to our consumers and can better adapt our products to their needs and preferences. This latest investment is
proof of our commitment to Africa in which we will invest CHF 1 billion over the next two years.”
The Managing Director of Nestlé Nigeria, Martin Woolnough, added: “Today is a major milestone in the history of
Nestlé in Nigeria and we are proud to see that our operations in Nigeria are not only measurable in length of time, but
more importantly, also by our positive impact on our stakeholders and our positive visible impact on the Nigerian
industrial landscape.”
With this new facility, Nestlé will double its production of culinary products in Nigeria and meet the growing demand
for MAGGI products in Nigeria and other countries in the Central and West African Region. The factory will offer
direct employment to 180 people and indirect employment to hundreds more.
Nestlé’s activities in Nigeria amount to around 59 billion Naira (CHF 457 million). Since 2009 Nestlé has invested 42
billion Naira (almost CHF 300 million) in its factories to help sustain its growth in the country. Nestlé Nigeria employs
around 3,300 people and counts 2 factories. The company sells products such as Maggi, Nestlé Milo, Nestlé Nido,
Nestlé Golden Morn, Nestlé Pure Life, Nescafé and Nestlé Cerelac, among others.

[size=14pt]Chinese Automobile Company To Locate Assembly Plant In Ogun [/size]

Chinese automobile company, also known as Guangzhou Automobile ‎Group (GAG) Company Limited, has concluded plans to site its assembly plant in Ogun State, where it intends to produce and assemble series of brands under the CIG trademark in accordance with Nigeria’s Automotive Policy.

The Chinese auto maker headquartered in Guangzhou in China showed interests in the state economy following its management’s visit to the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun, in Abeokuta, the state capital, recently, led by ‎Diana Chen, chairman of the group, showing commitment to invest in the state economy.

The location of the Chinese auto producer to the state‎ would increase the number of investments and businesses coming from the China after the earlier cluster of investments located at the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Igbesa, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, and the presence of China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) in the state, handling projects spanning road and rail construction, including a $3.5 billion light rail project.

Speaking at the business meeting at Governor’s office at Oke-Mosan, Diana Chen, chairman of CIG Motors who led the delegation, said the company would locate its automobile plant to the state, having observed the economic development and effective security plans, coupled with incentives offered to investors by the state government.

Responding, Governor Amosun said the location of the automobile plant to the state was an additional impetus ‎to private-sector driven economy of the state, which in the long run will create wealth, employment opportunities as well as enhance transfer of needed technology in the mechanical and electronic aspects of automobile production and assemblage.

The governor, who pledged to offer the necessary ‎support in order to fast track industrialisation drive, asked CIG Motors Limited to hit the ground running as soon as portions of land were allocated to its, revealing that “there are designated places for vehicles in the three senatorial districts which will be allocated to interested automobile companies.

“We are open for business. This is the reason we are the most industrialised state in the country. The only way to go for any state or nation is to encourage a private-sector driven economy. It will create wealth for our people and enhance transfer of technology. We don’t like people that will just come and talk. We want you to talk by action,” he said.

- See more at: http://www.firstafricanews.ng/index.php?dbs=openlist&s=22257#sthash.oawMiIQT.dpuf

[size=14pt]Amosun Opens Up Ogun State for Investment: 80% Off Land for Agriculture, other Incentives[/size]

The Ogun state governor, Ibikunle Amosun, seems positioned to upstage his colleagues and perhaps even the Federal Government with the kind of policies he is formulating in Abeokuta.

At the inaugural edition of the Ogun State Investor’s Forum, the governor came out swinging for development in his state, offering perhaps the best incentives any government on any level in Nigeria has ever offered the private sector.

Land in Ogun State to be developed for agricultural purposes is now 80% off the market price. Also land to be developed for manufacturing, housing estates and schools also attract discounts of 40% to 75% from the Federal Government.

These are the kinds of incentives that will get investors up and running and serve as a catalyst for economic growth in Ogun State.

However to ensure speculators do not get involved in the mix, the government is implementing measures to checkmate their activities.

According to Amosun, “These conditions essentially require that development occurs within 180 days (six months) of the issuance of the Final Letter of Allocation.

“I must add that these discounts remain valid until December 2012; we do not want land speculators in Ogun State. We want partners, genuine long term investors. We believe that these incentives will enable us to rapidly demonstrate the exciting investment opportunities in our state.”

Amosun is capitalizing on the comparative advantage Ogun state has in terms of agriculture and proximity to Lagos in order to whet investor’s appetite.

The State is also boosting infrastructure and security. Recently the governor launched the Ogun State Security Trust Fund and the private sector has stepped up with contributions with Ecobank donating N 75 million amongst other organizations.

[size=14pt]Firms propose $550m trade centre, dry port investment in Ogun[/size]

A group of foreign and local investors, including Hull Blyth Nigeria has proposed to locate a Trade Centre and Dry port worth about $550 million at different locations in Ogun state with a possibility of creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians.

BusinessDay gathered that the investment on Trade Centre which was planned to house automobile, building and construction as well as electrical appliances market would cost $500 million, while investment on Dry port proposed to be located at Wasimi in Ewekoro Local Government Area would cost $50 million.

Speaking in Abeokuta on Wednesday during a business meeting with Bimbo Ashiru, Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Christian Holm, Managing Director, Hull Blyth Nigeria, a Shipping and Cargo Services company disclosed that the construction of the Dry port in the State would serve as an extension of Sea ports in Lagos state when completed.

Holm said the construction of the proposed Dry port which would be undertaken by Hull Blyth Nigeria, a Century-old Shipping and Cargo Services firm would be completed within a year, saying: “we want to take advantage of the State nearness to Lagos as well as its conducive business environment”.

Similarly, Collins Mbaigbu, a local investor who led a team of other investors to the State for a discussion on take-off modalities, disclosed that the team chose the State as investment destination owing to its proximity to other states and a gateway other countries, adding that the enabling business environment created by the State government invited them.

He said, “Our interest spans automobile, building and electrical appliances among others. We are ready to bring our investment worth $500 million into the State; we want to establish a Trade Centre. Our decision about this was made taking into consideration the nearness of the State to others and the deliberate steps being taken by the State government to encourage and attract investments through provision of infrastructures”.

Responding, Bimbo Ashiru said that government was ready to fast track the acquisition and allocation of land to prospective investors in addition to required infrastructure and security, just as he expressed satisfaction with the influx of investors to the State.

Ashiru noted that the influx of industries and investment into the state was a clear indication that the State was taking right steps in its industrialisation drive, but he however warned that government would not condone acquiring lands for speculative purposes to the detriment of its industrialisation drive.

“We don’t want people to buy lands for speculative reasons, investors coming into the State must be ready to use land for what it is requested for,” Ashiru warned.
Source: BusinessDay

Aareonakakanfo:
Ilekemd all these news you've posted, what we should do now is to deliberate on them like its a thread on its own.Let it come periodically.One news at a time.

True. E bere. Ma tele yin.

[size=14pt]Amosun leads team to Indonesia, seeks direct investment for Ogun[/size]

Ogun plans to co-operate with Surabaya on several investment areas.
The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, and some members of his executive council are now in Indonesia to participate in a week-long discussion with investors and top government officials in Surabaya, one of the provinces of the South-Asian country.
The team, comprising of the Commissioners of Works and Infrastructure, Budget and Planning, Culture and Tourism and Environment, as well as the Special Advisers to the Governor on Trade and Investment, Housing, Research and Documentation, and Agriculture would, in Surabaya, hold talks with investors in areas ranging from agriculture and forestry, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals to tourism.
It would also explore the possibility of co-operating with the Asians in the use of technology for enhancing the production of adire fabric for export.
Mr. Amosun held a private meeting with the Governor of Surabaya, H. Soekarwo, and both men, would, this weekend, sign a joint memorandum signifying the beginning of co-operation between their two governments on several issues.
The governor and his team would also participate in a business forum to be attended by leading Indonesian industrialists. It would afford the Ogun State team the opportunity to showcase the investment opportunities in the state.
Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia, and a major industrial centre and port, covers an area of 47,922 square kilometres, with a population of over 37 million.


Learning from the best

Aareonakakanfo:

Eleyi ti poju ke. ibo la o ti wa bere bayii nisin.

And besides sleep go soon catch me oo. bo ya maa pada wa soro nipa e lola.

O da be. Ma wa lola.

Aago meloo ni nibeyen?

[size=14pt]Nigerian-Chinese couple invest in industrial park boosting skill transfer in Africa (Ogun State)[/size]

LAGOS, July 2 (Xinhua) -- "Everything we shared half half, he owns 50 percent and I own 50 percent for the WIHU International limited and partner together," Huang Yuzhen said in her industrial park in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria, and the "he" is her Nigerian husband Peter Williams.

Located on expanse of land measuring 40,000 square meters, the park was incorporated in 2006, as an indigenous manufacturing and civil engineering organization with technical affiliation to Nigerian and Chinese partners.

Huang, a lady in her 40s from eastern part of China, is the deputy managing director, while Williams, a Nigerian born in Germany, is WIHU's chief executive officer and managing director.

Currently, the deputy managing director handles the international business, specifically for the importation of semi- processed inputs for the company while all finished products are manufactured at WIHU. Williams deals with "local" affairs relating to immigration, trade authorities, police, etc.

The couple woo investors by helping them make things "easier."

Wen Weidong, the chief executive officer of Dynasty furniture Nigeria Limited, one of the Chinese firm operating in the park, said the park has made business easier as issues related to operational cost, immigration, police and electricity has been commonly managed.

The industrial park is presently accommodating 16 Chinese companies doing business in manufacturing rubber slippers, haulage transport, warehousing, furniture, tiles, gas cylinder and construction company.

For Huang, The industrial park is a new exploration in the practical cooperation between Nigeria and China, through culture and romance.

Huang came to Nigeria in 2002 and she was in her 20s. She start her business as a shoes trader, importing shoes from China and selling locally. During this period the young lady met Williams and their romance started.

"From 2004 and 2005, government starts to band shoes importation, and it became contraband goods, I can't import anymore, and I don't want to do any illegal business," Huang said.

After careful thinking and market study, the couple decided to set up a slippers factory in Nigeria.

"I saw rubber slipper everywhere where people use and dump, making the environment looks dirty, so I said let's recycle it and make a good one for people to enjoy and lower price rate, and this is how we started shoe business here," Huang said.

he couple bought a 4-hectare land and set up their factory, and build more factory buildings for renting. There they started the industrial park.

For Huang, the current biggest impediment to the park is having difficulty to cope with some government policies, such as the tax system and lack of incentives for huge investments.

The park, like all others running business in the country, gets around the squalid power supply situation by depending most times of generators.

Nigeria has been hard hit by power shortage due to limited generation capacity. The country of over 170 million population can only produce 4000 MW annually, and about 50 percent of the population can not access to electricity.

A recent World Bank report said unreliable power supply and inefficiencies in custom clearance are among major challenges impeding growth of Africa's industrial clusters.

However, despite the challenges, Huang sees great potential in Nigerian market, and she told Xinhua that the company was already building another industrial park in Sagamu area of Ogun state to "help alleviate youth unemployment there."

ilekemd:


Lol please stop before the wicked witch of the west comes bak to attack me because of You.

None of that. Keep this on Yoruba topic.

Aare, stop enabling him.

Lmao.

Aareonakakanfo:

10:54 Ibise gan ni mo wa.ibe naa ni maa sun si

NY-time ..... pesin fit kidnap you easily with sly questions.

Kilode to fi n sun sibise?

MayorofLagos:


Lmao.

Onijogbon lol

[size=14pt]Ondo State: Now a beehive of economic activities[/size]

ith a landmass of about 15,000 Square Kilometers, a population of about3.5 million and a red- hot hub for mineral and natural resources, Ondo State inspires extreme reactions, especially among multinationals contemplating doing business there.

At one end of the spectrum is the geographical location and its ocean front with the longest coastline in Nigeria and at the other is the God given Natural resources and the provision of a Visionary Leader to manage these endowments. This view accurately reflects the economic realities and market dynamics at work in Ondo State today.

For a better understanding of both the challenges and enormous opportunities this market represents for local and international investors alike, I seek to place Ondo State’s remarkable economic story in the larger context and to also look at two critical issues that are helping to define those economic realities and reshape the market landscape. The conception of the Olokola Free Trade zone and the lightning speed of work in the area in the last three years will reveal to the world not only a boldly refashioned state but an indication of what is to come. That the state government achieved so much and overcame so many obstacles in such a short time strongly suggests that this momentum and progress will continue unabated.

Simply put, ondo state has created an environment in which foreign investment is welcome and foreign companies can make astronomical returns on investments. In the words of President Goodluck Jonathan on November 12, 2010 during a visit to the OKLNG project site “if Nigeria is to realize her ambition of being one of the biggest economies by 2020, the OKLNG Project must be a part of the dream”. This reiterates the importance of Ondo State in Project Nigeria and its effect on world economy.

In Natural Resources, Ondo State has Extensive fertile soil suitable for agriculture with sub-savannah forest suitable for cattle grazing in the northern fringes. Vast forest resources, variety of timber species ranging form Teak to Gmelina, to cash crops such as Rubber, Cashew, kolanut, Oil palm and the largest producer of Cocoa in Nigeria. The state is blessed with large quantities of minerals from Oil and Gas to Bitumen which is the world’s second largest deposits, from Quart Sand to Clay, Granite, Limestone, Talc, Kaolin, Coal, Columbite, Rock, with Ocean fronts and the longest Coastline in Nigeria. All of these are waiting to be explored and exploited maximally.

The Executive Governor of the State, DrOlusegunMimiko within three years in office has transformed the rustic and sleepy nature of the State economy into a cynosure of all eyes as promised at inauguration.In the health sector,there is the Abiyeprogramme which is comprised of the Africa Mother and Child hospital that has taken 11,000 deliveries in 2 years; all free of charge. By the administrations aggressive Urban Renewal Programme, the capital has been transformed into a modern state capital. Developmenst which covers towns across the state with the construction of numerous Caring Heart Mega Schools,Neighbourhood Markets, International Auto Mart, Mechanic Village, Shopping Complexes. All these are designed to ensure that Ondostate serves as a condusive environment for trade and investment.

The construction and dualization of various roads across the state gives unhindered access to the teeming resources that abound in the state amongst other viable developmental projects. The industrial and commercial sectors also has a new face by completing the 25 year-old abandoned Tomato Factory, Alpha 3D Company, creating the Ore Sunshine City to mention a few . Wealth creation through the engagement of 15, 000 graduates working at the Agric Villages at Ore ,Epeand AugaAkoko, establishment of Skills Acquisition Centres across the 18 local government areas of the state.This ensures that there will be qualified personnel for potential investors to tap into when required as well as affordable labor costs.

Idanre Hills has been transformed intoa “Mecca” of sort with the conceptualization of the “Mare” festival which serves as an annual global tourist attraction. This climbers haven now serves as a mountain climbing activity which is a place of delight to foreigners throughout the year. These are all available so as to boost the local economy via tourism.

So if development is about economic growth, modernisation, distributive justice and socio-economic transformation, Governor OlusegunMimikohas lived far beyond expectation in a very short time.Infrastructural development and economic development have been used interchangeable mainly because much of development has to do with economic issues as well as social/welfare matters. The assumption has always been that development cannot be mutually exclusive thus giving credence to the idea that this cannot be isolated from economic growth. The socio-economic context of development implies modernisation, a process whereby a society is reoriented in its structure, institutions, values, and behavioural patterns. Modernization is said to be a complex human relations as well as the generation and utilization of technological resources to change the quality of human life. To this effect, while many telecommunications companies are struggling to finance or even come to terms with the need for fibre optic cable, the State Government has concluded on plans to lay Fiber optic cable across the state which is quickly becoming the industry standard in computer networking and telecommunications to transmit audio, video and voice data. This is designed to revolutionize telecommunication in the state and enhance investment opportunities.

Ondo State has partnered with the US State of Maryland to lay the ground work for bi-lateral relations. The Sister State partnership is to provide an opportunity forOndo State and the State of Maryland, USA to further enhance cultural and socio economic exchanges and to promote international trade between the United States of America andOndo State. This synergy could only have happened because of the creation of an enabling environment and conducive atmosphere for various spheres of investment in the state.

Is it a coincidence or a deliberate act of God that these richly endowed state has been entrusted in the hands of a visionary leader to open it up and show the world the things that are abound in this economic time bomb? I say it is a deliberate act of God. The fundamental underlying lesson here goes to the heart of the gradual emergence of Ondo State as a market economy.

Like DAWN, SWITs focuses on Yorubaland investment

INVEST IN SOUTH WEST NIGERIA

WITHIN THE SCOPE OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION WHICH ENABLES THE REGION TO DEVELOP ITS POTENTIALS, YOU CAN INVEST IN ANY OF THE STATES AND BE SURE OF EQUAL TREATMENT WITH INDIVIDUAL STATES’ UNIQUENESS AND VARIOUS INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

Lagos State, Capital – Ikeja
Main Cities and Towns -Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry, Lagos, Apapa, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Ikeja
Population - 17 552 942
Website - www.lagosstate.gov.ng

Lagos State is bounded in the north and east by Ogun State, in the west by the Republic of Benin and in the south by the Atlantic Ocean. Even though being Nigeria's smallest state, the region is the nation's economic nerve centre with over 2 000 industries. Lagos State is a socio-cultural melting pot attracting both Nigerians and foreigners alike.

Lagos is Nigeria's most prosperous city, and much of the nation's wealth and economic activity are concentrated here. The standard of living in the city is higher than in the rest of Nigeria, as residents have considerably greater access to food, fresh water, indoor plumbing, and modern technology. The business district of Lagos Island remains the commercial, financial and business centre of Lagos and of the country.

More than half of Nigeria's industrial capacity is located in the city of Lagos' mainland suburbs, particularly in the Ikeja industrial estate. A wide range of manufactured goods are produced in the city, including machinery, motor vehicles, electronic equipment, chemicals, beer, processed food and textiles. The city of Lagos is also the centre of the Nigerian film industry, often referred to a ‘Nollywood’.

The Port of Lagos is Nigeria's leading port and one of the largest in Africa. It handles imports of consumer goods, foodstuffs, motor vehicles, machinery, and industrial raw materials. The Murtala Muhammed International Airport is located in the capitaI, Ikeja, and is the major airport serving the city of Lagos, southwestern Nigeria and the entire nation.

Lagos State also has a vibrant tourism industry. Prominent tourist attractions in the state include the National Museum, the Holy Cross Cathedral, the fallen Agia tree in Badagry and the Bar Beach in Lagos city.



Ekiti State, Capital - Ado Ekiti
Main Cities and Towns - Ado, Ikere, Efon, Ikole Aramoko-Ekiti, Ode, Oye-Ekiti
Population - 2 384 212
Website - http://ekitistate.gov.ng/about-ekiti/overview/

Ekiti State is situated in south-west Nigeria and shares boundaries with Kwara state to the north, Kogi state to the east, Ondo state to the south and Osun State to the west. A significant feature of the region is the large number of hills, which are often the site of towns in which much of the population resides. Tropical forest exists in the south, while Savanna occupies the northern peripheries.

The majority of the area's citizens are involved in agriculture. The main cash crops are cocoa, palm produce, timber and rubber. Other produce include citrus fruits, kola nut, plantain, maize, rice, cowpea, yam and cassava.

Ekiti state has a fair amount of solid mineral resources. These are kaolin, clay, cassiterite, tin ore, columbite, bauxite (aluminium ore), foundry sand, granite and elarconits.

Popular tourist destinations in the state include the Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort, the Arinta waterfalls, Fajuyi Memorial Park in Ado-Ekiti, the Ero Dam in Ikun-Ekiti and natural caves in Ikere-Ekit.

Closely linked to the tourism potentials of the state are the seasonal festivals. Some major festivals - such as the Egungun festival, the Ogun festival and the New Yam festival - are celebrated by all Ekitis.



Osun State, Capital – Oshogbo
Main Cities and Towns - Ile-Ife, Oshogbo, Iwo, Ila-Orangun, Ejigbo, Ilesha and Ikirun
Population - 3 423 535
Website - www.osunstate.gov.ng

Osun State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria with vast human and material resources, most of which are yet to be fully exploited. A stable and peaceful political environment exists within the region. The population of Osun State is concentrated in a number of urban areas in the upper half of the state, while the smaller towns and villages are found in the lower half.

Agriculture is the traditional occupation of the people. The main cash crops are cocoa and palm produce, while food crops include yam, maize, cassava, millet, plantain and rice. Cocoa is the main export crop, with Osun State being second only to Ondo in terms of cocoa production.

Presently the region is not highly industrialised, but can boast of a few large industrial concerns. The federal government has indicated its presence in the state through the citing of two major industries namely the Osogbo Steel Rolling Mills and the Nigerian Machine Tools at Osogbo. Other industries in the state include the Cocoa Products Industry at Ede and the supreme Oil Industry at Ilesha. Other small and medium industrial ventures are spread all over the state. In order to promote industrial growth, two industrial estates are being developed at Osogbo and Ilesa. These estates are to be provided with roads, electricity, pipe-borne water and telecommunication facilities.

The endowment of Osun State in the area of mineral resources is enormous and presents an array of investment opportunities. Minerals that are economically viable for exploitation include talc, kaolin, granite, clay, gold and feldspar. The Mining and Geological Division of the Department of Industry oversees, in collaboration with relevant federal government agencies, the development of mineral resources in the state.

Through various policies and programmes, the state government has created a solid business and industrial environment. Both local and foreign investors enjoy adequate government protection and incentives.



Ogun State, Capital – Abeokuta
Main Cities and Towns - Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ilaro, Ijebu-Igbo, Ota, Aiyetoro
Population - 3 728 098
Website - www.ogunstate.gov.ng

Ogun State shares an international boundary with the Republic of Benin to the west, to the south it is bounded by Lagos State and the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by Ondo State and in the north by Oyo State.

The state has enormous industrial potentials. Its natural resources, manpower, water and electricity supply, and its geographical proximity to Lagos make it a potential industrial zone to the nation. Extensive limestone deposits in the area can last for some five hundred years according to scientists. The multi-million naira cement factory in Sagamu is the largest cement factory in West Africa. Both this factory and Ewekoro cement factory depend on the local limestone resources for raw materials. Other mineral resources available include chalk, phosphate, high quality stones and gravel for construction works. The region also has industries involved in the production of beer, bicycle tyres, ceramic goods, high quality clay bricks, carpets and clothing materials.

Major crops grown in the state include kola nut, rice, maize, cassava, yam, banana and cocoa. The state is one of the largest producers of kola nut in the country. Timber and rubber are also produced on a large scale. About 20% of its total area is constituted of forest reserve suitable for livestock. There are proposed plans for an Agricultural Cargo Airport which will stimulate economic growth and raise the industrial profile of the state.



Oyo State, Capital – Ibadan
Main Cities and Towns - Ibadan, Ogbomosho, Oyo, Iseyin, Shaki Igboho, Kisi, Igbo-Ora, Okeho, Lalupon and Ileto
Population - 5 591 589
Website - www.oyostate.gov.ng

Oyo State is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east by Osun State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west partly by Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin. The region is mainly inhabited by the Yoruba ethnic group who is primarily agrarian but has a preference for living in high density urban centers.

The climate in the state favours the cultivation of crops like maize, yam, cassava, millet, rice, plantains, cocoa, palm produce and cashew. Government farm settlements are found at Ipapo, Ilora, Eruwa, Ogbomosho, Iresaadu, Ijaiye, Akufo and Lalupon. A number of federal and international agricultural establishments are also located in the area, with the Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme headquarters in Saki.

The region is not particularly rich in prominent minerals but has a wide distribution of simple and easy to utilize minerals such as marble, red clay, sand, gravel, granite, limestone and talc.

A number of popular tourist attractions are found in the Oyo State. The Old Oyo National Park is just north of Ibadan and contains ruins from the old Oyo Empire. For animal enthusiasts there is the lbadan Zoological Garden which has an interesting variety of species. The Ado Awaye Suspended Lake is also popular with visitors.



Ondo State, Capital – Akure
Main Cities and Towns - Owo, Akure, Ore, Oka-Akoko and Ondo
Population - 3 441 024
Website - www.ondostate.gov.ng

Ondo State is bounded in the north by Ekiti State and Kogi State; in the east by Edo State; in the west by Oyo State and Ogun State; and in the south by the Atlantic Ocean.

Most of the state's population is involved in agriculture, with the region being the leading cocoa producer in country. Other agricultural products include yams, cassava and palm produce. Ondo State is one of the most significant timber producing states in Nigeria. Hardwood species such as iroko, mahogany, obeche, omo, afara and tick are found in the region. Timber has encouraged the establishment of saw-milling industries, which litter every nook and corner of the state. Fishing is another important industry with huge development potential.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and Agip have explored the possibility of crude oil production from the country's first deep water offshore oil field which is located off the coast of Ondo. The Abo field will produce over 1 500 barrels per day when it comes on stream with peak output of about 20 000 bpd, when fully operational. To further increase economic development, the state governments of Ondo and Ogun have introduced a Free Trade Zone around Olokola.

Granite, which is mostly found in the northern Senatorial District, is a key export commodity for Ondo State. Other minerals available include tar sand, kaolin clay, iron ore, quartz sand, coal and marble. Many of these minerals are at different stages of prospecting, extracting and development.

Ondo State boasts a variety of tourist attractions. Among the leading sites are the historic Idanre Hills, the Ayetoro Community of Holy Apostles, the Owo Museum of Antiquities, Oke Maria at Oka-Akoko and the Palace of the Deji of Akure. Hotel services are readily available in major towns and in most of the Local Government Area headquarters.

Aareonakakanfo:

Haha! se kidnapper ni wo ni? Its difficult to get any info about me.Time na small thing now.My job is a 24-hour thing aa ki n sun . ma lo goo oo.bi mo se n sere ni bi bayii bee naa ni mo n sise lowo.I multitask except when i just want to drop and focus on my job

MayorofLagos was right. O so fun mi pe gigolo ati runz sugadaddy lo n se.

Eh ehnnnn..... se ko ki n re e ni?