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The Abiodun Effect: Infrastructure, Industry and Ogun’s Economic Transformation By Kayode Akinmade
How Strategic Investments, Fiscal Reforms, Industrial Expansion and Bold Infrastructure Projects Propelled Ogun State to Become Nigeria’s Second Best-Performing State and One of the Nation’s Fastest-Growing Economies
When the 2025 State Performance Index (pSPI), released by Phillips Consulting, ranked Ogun State second only to Lagos among Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, it validated what years of strategic investments in infrastructure, industrialisation, logistics, and fiscal reforms had already signposted.
Since assuming office on May 29, 2019, Governor Dapo Abiodun has pursued a development agenda anchored on connectivity, economic expansion, and sustainable revenue growth. The result is a state increasingly regarded as one of Nigeria’s most competitive destinations for investment and industrial activity.
Importantly, the pSPI is not a political award. The index combines 70 per cent objective performance data drawn from audited records covering fiscal management, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic output, with 30 per cent citizen perception surveys. Ogun’s emergence as the nation’s second-best performing state reflects measurable outcomes rather than political sentiment.
## Economic Growth Backed by Data
Any assessment of Ogun State’s transformation begins with the numbers.
When Governor Abiodun took office in 2019, the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at approximately ₦2.9 trillion. By 2024, it had risen to ₦7.3 trillion, while projections based on expanding industrial productivity place the figure closer to ₦17 trillion.
Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has followed a similar trajectory. From about ₦50.6 billion in 2020, IGR rose to ₦100.7 billion in 2021, climbed to ₦146 billion in 2023, and reached nearly ₦192 billion in 2024. The state is targeting ₦250 billion in 2025 and ₦500 billion by 2026.
The growth has been driven by tax digitisation, the elimination of multiple taxation, improved compliance, and the expansion of industrial activities across the state.
Reflecting its growing economic capacity, Ogun’s 2025 Budget of Hope and Prosperity stood at ₦1.054 trillion, with over ₦600 billion dedicated to capital projects. Infrastructure, education, and healthcare received the largest allocations, reinforcing the administration’s emphasis on long-term development.
## Building Prosperity Through Roads
One of the most visible achievements of the Abiodun administration has been its extensive investment in road infrastructure.
More than 1,700 kilometres of roads have been constructed or rehabilitated across the state since 2019. These projects include the reconstruction of the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway and intervention works on the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway, one of Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors.
After more than two decades of jurisdictional disputes stalled progress on the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road, the state government secured federal approval and commenced reconstruction in 2024.
Road projects have also been executed across industrial and agricultural corridors in Ifo, Sango-Ota, Idiroko, Remo, Yewa, and Ijebu areas, improving mobility, reducing logistics costs, and strengthening economic integration.
For the administration, roads are more than physical infrastructure; they are economic assets that facilitate trade, attract investment, and improve competitiveness.
## The ISEYA Development Framework
The administration’s governance philosophy is encapsulated in its ISEYA agenda—Infrastructure, Social Investment, Education, Youth Empowerment, and Agriculture.
Under this framework, infrastructure development has remained a priority, while investments in healthcare, education, housing, youth development, and agriculture have sought to ensure inclusive growth.
The revitalisation of primary healthcare centres, recruitment of teachers, rehabilitation of schools, support for small businesses, youth skills acquisition programmes, and agricultural interventions have all contributed to improvements in human capital development.
The strong citizen perception scores recorded in the pSPI suggest that residents are experiencing tangible benefits from these investments.
## Gateway Airport and Aviation Connectivity
A major milestone in the administration’s infrastructure drive was the completion of the Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport.
The airport received its first commercial flight in February 2023, marking a historic moment for Ogun State. Strategically located to serve industrial clusters along the Lagos-Ogun corridor, the facility was designed to provide manufacturers and exporters with faster logistics options and strengthen the state’s export competitiveness.
The project has received commendation from prominent national figures, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, both of whom described it as a significant economic asset.
Complementing the airport is the Gateway Airline initiative, aimed at improving regional connectivity and supporting business travel.
## Kajola and Mojoda Dry Ports: Redefining Logistics
Among the administration’s most transformative economic initiatives are the Kajola and Mojoda Dry Ports.
The Kajola Dry Port, located near the Lagos-Ibadan Railway corridor, was conceived as an inland cargo terminal that enables importers and exporters to process goods closer to their businesses rather than relying exclusively on congested seaports.
The facility is supported by the Kajola Specialised Railway Industrial Free Trade Zone, a partnership expected to unlock substantial industrial investment and employment opportunities.
In 2025, the Federal Government approved a second dry port in Mojoda, Ijebu-Ode. Situated on 130 hectares, the facility is expected to serve as a major cargo consolidation and distribution hub for the Southwest region.
Together, both projects position Ogun as a critical logistics gateway for Nigeria’s manufacturing and export sectors.
## Industrial Expansion Across the State
Ogun remains one of Nigeria’s foremost industrial destinations, with major companies operating within its borders.
The administration has prioritised the rehabilitation of key industrial corridors, particularly the Agbara-Atan-Lusada axis, which hosts numerous multinational firms.
Improved infrastructure within these industrial zones has enhanced operational efficiency and encouraged further investment.
Beyond Agbara, the state has expanded industrial development through initiatives such as the Remo Economic Industrial Cluster, a partnership with ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms valued at approximately $400 million.
These efforts have ensured that industrial growth is spread across the state’s three senatorial districts.
## A Multimodal Transport Strategy
Governor Abiodun’s long-term vision extends beyond roads.
The administration is pursuing a multimodal transport strategy that integrates road, rail, air, and maritime infrastructure. Existing rail connections, the Gateway Airport, proposed port projects, and an extensive road network are being developed as interconnected assets designed to reduce transportation costs and improve supply chain efficiency.
This integrated approach strengthens Ogun’s position as a strategic logistics hub serving both Nigeria and the wider West African market.
## Creating an Investor-Friendly Environment
Infrastructure development has been matched by reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business.
Through agencies such as OgunInvest and the Business Environment Council, the administration has streamlined investment processes, digitised tax administration, reduced bureaucratic bottlenecks, and actively engaged local and international investors.
The results have been significant. Ogun now hosts more than 6,000 registered industries and continues to attract substantial domestic and foreign investments across manufacturing, logistics, tourism, housing, and agro-processing.
The state’s growing reputation as a business-friendly destination has further strengthened its economic profile and revenue base.
## The Phillips Consulting Verdict
The 2025 State Performance Index evaluated states across key indicators, including fiscal management, infrastructure, healthcare, education, economic performance, and citizen satisfaction.
Ogun’s second-place ranking confirms that its development is the product of deliberate policy choices and sustained execution rather than geographical advantage alone.
The assessment also validates the administration’s ISEYA framework, demonstrating that strategic investments in infrastructure, human capital, and economic development can deliver measurable outcomes.
## A Model of Deliberate Development
The transformation of Ogun State under Governor Dapo Abiodun illustrates how governance can drive economic growth when policies are designed to complement one another.
Roads improved access to industrial hubs. Industrial growth expanded the tax base. Increased revenues funded additional infrastructure, while logistics projects strengthened the state’s attractiveness to investors.
From GDP growth and rising internally generated revenue to extensive road construction, aviation infrastructure, dry ports, industrial expansion, and national recognition through the pSPI ranking, Ogun State’s development trajectory reflects a deliberate effort to position the state as one of Nigeria’s leading economic centres.
As major projects near completion and new investments continue to flow in, the challenge ahead will be sustaining the momentum and consolidating the gains already achieved.
The Federal Government has moved to end the theft and vandalism of public infrastructure through tighter regulation of Nigeria’s scrap metal industry.
The Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, said the proposed 2026 Scrap Metal Regulations would sanitise the sector, protect critical national assets and boost local steel production.
Audu, represented by the Director, Metallurgical Raw Material Development and Investment Promotion Department, Ime Eprikpo, spoke at a two-day stakeholders’ engagement on the validation of the draft regulations, held in Lagos.
He said the proposed Scrap Metal (Collection, Trading, Recycling and Regulation) Regulations would establish a transparent and sustainable value chain capable of supporting Nigeria’s industrialisation drive.
The minister identified scrap metal as a critical raw material for steel production, foundry operations and other manufacturing activities, noting that effective recycling would reduce waste, create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
He, however, warned that poor regulation had encouraged the theft of electrical cables, railway components, manhole covers and other metallic infrastructure, resulting in disruption of public services, safety risks and huge economic losses.
According to him, the proposed regulations would introduce licensing and supervision of operators, regulate collection and aggregation centres, ensure transaction traceability and enforce environmental and occupational safety standards.
“Our objective is not to suppress legitimate commercial activity. Rather, it is to establish a system in which lawful businesses can operate with greater clarity and confidence, while activities involving stolen materials, unsafe practices or environmental harm are addressed through appropriate regulatory and legal measures,” he said.
Audu stressed that small-scale operators would not be excluded from the regulatory framework, explaining that requirements would be tailored to the size and risks of their businesses.
He called for stronger supplier identification, verification of material sources, reliable transaction records and collaboration with security agencies to check the illegal acquisition and trading of stolen metals.
The minister urged stakeholders to make practical contributions towards ensuring that the proposed regulations were workable and addressed the challenges confronting operators.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Amb. Nura Abba Rimi, represented by the Director, Metallurgical Inspectorate and Environmental Protection Department, Christopher T. Wanje, said effective regulation of the scrap metal industry was critical to building a competitive and self-sustaining steel sector.
He said the regulations would curb illegal metal trading, protect public infrastructure and guarantee reliable raw materials for domestic steel production.
In his goodwill message, the National President of the National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria, Comrade Pastor Engr. Ogbu Luke Uchechukwu, described the engagement as a landmark development that would lay the foundation for an organised and economically viable industry.
Similarly, the Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Dr Innocent Bariate Bariko, represented by the Deputy Director, Base Metal Sector, Engr. Walter Okoye, warned that inadequate regulation could expose the environment and public health to serious risks.
He commended the ministry for initiating the proposed regulatory framework.
Also, the Business Manager of Kam Steel Integrated Company Ltd, Busari Olanrewaju, described scrap metal as the backbone of Nigeria’s steel industry.
He pledged the company’s support through the training of scrap collectors, standardised grading procedures, modern sorting and shredding technologies, and increased use of locally generated scrap materials in domestic steel production.
President Bola Tinubu says the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is a weapon his administration is deploying to tackle poverty, insisting that the scheme will not be stopped.
The president spoke on Tuesday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally held at the Dutse Township Stadium in Jigawa state.
Tinubu said his administration would continue to support the student loan scheme, reiterating that all funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would be channelled into NELFUND.
“NELFUND is our weapon against poverty. And we will continue in that direction. We will continue,” he said.
“Every money recovered from irregularities by the EFCC is now directed to NELFUND to educate our children. Every asset coveted through irregularities will be invested in NELFUND.”
The president also defended his administration’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy, dismissing calls for its restoration.
“Those who think they should bring subsidy back, they are liars. How will you pay for those commitments? How will you repair the roads? How will you maintain them? How will you function?” he asked.
Tinubu said the removal of the subsidy had created economic opportunities for workers and suppliers, while NELFUND was helping to ease the financial burden of educating their children.
“The labourers, the granite suppliers, they are eating, and they are surviving. We have taken away the problem of the education of their children by establishing NELFUND,” he said.
On August 19, the president directed the EFCC to channel all recovered funds into NELFUND.
Tunji Alausa, minister of education, announced the directive while answering questions from State House correspondents shortly after the weekly federal executive council (FEC) meeting.
Alausa also said the FEC had approved the allocation of all unclaimed dividends in the Capital Market Trust Fund and funds in the Dormant Account Trust Fund to NELFUND to expand its reach and improve its efficiency.
Speaking recently at the launch of Arise Palm Resort in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, Tinubu said the decision was informed by the need to ease the burden of tuition fees on parents and ensure equal access to education for all Nigerians.
At a press briefing in Abuja on August 31 to highlight the commission’s achievements under his leadership, Ola Olukoyede, EFCC chairman, said the federal government had allocated N100 billion from funds recovered by the anti-graft agency to NELFUND since 2024.
The management of the Anambra State Traffic Management Agency, ATMA, has suspended some of its officers for two months without pay after they went viral recently for singing a campaign song in support of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
According to report, the management announced the suspension of the officers on Tuesday.
The sanction followed the controversy generated by a viral video showing the officers singing an NDC campaign song associated with the political aspirations of Obi and Kwankwaso to a motorist.
The incident reportedly occurred at Nwagu Agulu Junction, where the officers were deployed for traffic control duties.
The officers had earlier been summoned to the agency’s headquarters in Awka to explain their conduct and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Their two-month suspension without pay is believed to be the outcome of the disciplinary process initiated by the agency following the circulation of the video.
Although the circumstances surrounding the officers’ action remain unclear, there had been suggestions that their singing might have been prompted by the NDC logo they reportedly sighted in the motorist’s car.
The development has reportedly thrown the affected officers into distress, with some expressing fears about their future following the disciplinary action.
It was gathered that some of the affected officers had been weeping and approaching influential personalities who could intervene on their behalf and appeal to the relevant authorities for leniency.
Meanwhile, relatives of the affected officers have appealed to public-spirited individuals to come to their aid by helping them secure alternative employment opportunities in view of their present circumstances.
The relatives reportedly fear that the suspension, particularly without pay, could worsen the economic situation of the affected officers and their families.
The incident has also raised questions about the extent to which public officers can freely express their political preferences, particularly when such expressions occur while they are performing official duties.
While public servants retain their constitutional rights as citizens, the regulations governing their respective agencies may restrict partisan political activities, especially when carried out in official uniforms or during working hours.
However, it remains unclear whether the two-month suspension was specifically imposed for breaching ATMA’s operational regulations or for other reasons connected with the incident, report said.
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