The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has urged British investors to tap into the state’s abundant natural and economic resources, emphasising his administration’s readiness to deepen development ties with the United Kingdom.
While describing Ondo as a land of vast opportunities, the governor maintained that the state remains Nigeria’s largest cocoa producer, contributing about 40 per cent of the country’s total output.
The governor stated this while receiving the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Jonny Baxter, and his team at the Governor’s Office in Akure, the state capital, on Wednesday.
Aiyedatiwa emphasised that the state is endowed with bitumen, coal, gold, gas and other mineral resources, alongside expansive arable land suitable for agriculture.
He said, “This is the land of cocoa. It was from cocoa that the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo developed the Western Region, building Africa’s first television station, the Cocoa House and several other infrastructures. Ondo is still leading in cocoa production today.”
Aiyedatiwa disclosed that the state’s population stands at 5.3 million, with a landmass of 15,500 square kilometres and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that is approximately ₦5.1 trillion, ranking seventh among Nigeria’s 36 states.
He noted that Ondo has the longest coastline in Nigeria, serving as a major gateway to international trade. He added that plans were underway to develop a deep-seaport to boost exports and unlock the state’s blue economy potential.
The governor emphasised that Nigeria’s relationship with the United Kingdom had evolved from colonial and donor dependency into a partnership centred on investment and institutional collaboration.
Aiyedatiwa commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms, noting that while the policies initially caused hardship, they had begun to stabilise the economy, enabling states like Ondo to perform better financially.
He also revealed that his administration had established a one-stop investment office to assist new investors from documentation to full operations, assuring that the state had significantly improved its security architecture to support business stability.
Responding, Baxter said his visit was aimed at exploring areas of collaboration and investment between the United Kingdom and Ondo State.
Baxter, who expressed delight at the state’s development potential, said the UK’s engagement with Nigeria had shifted from donor aid to direct investment partnerships that promote shared prosperity.
“Our relationship with Nigeria is now a partnership of equals,” Baxter said. “For instance, the British International Investment (BII) has invested over $40 million in JohnVents here in Ondo to rehabilitate cocoa plantations. We are focused on investments that will benefit both countries.”
