In what is being described as a defining moment for Delta State’s economic transformation, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Tuesday led the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kwale Free Trade Zone (KFTZ) in Ndokwa West Local Government Area — a flagship component of the Delta Special Economic Zone Project expected to reshape the state’s industrial landscape.
The event marked a major policy milestone in Oborevwori’s “MORE Agenda,” signalling his administration’s resolve to diversify Delta’s economy beyond oil and place it firmly on the path of sustainable industrialisation.
“This is not just another project launch,” the governor declared before a large audience of political leaders, investors, and traditional rulers. “It is the fulfilment of our promise to build a Delta where innovation, technology, and industry will thrive. Today’s groundbreaking lays the foundation for generational prosperity.”
According to the governor, the KFTZ is designed to serve as a strategic industrial hub for energy, petrochemicals, agro-processing, logistics, and manufacturing, leveraging Kwale’s abundant gas reserves and central location.
He disclosed that eight companies have so far indicated firm interest in operating from the zone — with two fully licensed, three awaiting license approvals, and three others in the final stages of regulatory processing.
Oborevwori announced that the state government had already committed over ₦3 billion into Delta Wires Industries, the first company to commence operations in the zone.
Former Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who chaired the ceremony, commended his successor for sustaining and expanding initiatives conceived under his administration.
He urged host communities to protect the project and consider offering additional land for future expansion.
Chairman of the Delta Special Economic Zone Management Company, Brig. Gen. Mike Ndubisi (rtd), described the groundbreaking as “a milestone in Delta’s industrial evolution,” while the company’s Managing Director, Pastor Godwin Akpovie, revealed that over $100 million worth of investments have already been committed to both the Kwale and Koko clusters of the project.
“This project will generate thousands of jobs and foster innovation,” Ndubisi added. “What was once doubted is now a reality — we are not just building factories, we are building a brighter future for Deltans.”
In other news, Oborevwori called for a comprehensive national framework to build a sustainable and globally competitive automotive industry in Nigeria, warning that the absence of coherent policies and legislative support is undermining the country’s industrial growth and youth empowerment.
Speaking in Asaba last month while declaring open a four-day retreat for members and staff of the House of Representatives Committee on Industry, Governor Oborevwori stated that the time had come for Nigeria to break free from its dependence on imported vehicles and components by investing in local production, innovation, and human capital development.
The retreat, themed “Building a Globally Competitive Automotive Sector in Nigeria through Effective Executive–Legislative Partnership,” brought together key industry stakeholders, policymakers, and legislators to chart a path toward industrial revitalisation.
