Ogun State has emerged the winner of the Most Sustainable Going Green Stand Award at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025, held in Algiers, Algeria.
Organisers said the award recognised Ogun State’s exceptional contribution to the fair, which took place from September 4 to 10, 2025.
The IATF exhibition was organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in partnership with the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat, and hosted by the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria. The award plaque was signed by former Nigerian President and Chairman of the IATF 2025 Advisory Council, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
Governor Dapo Abiodun, who represented Ogun State at the event, participated in a high-level panel session titled “Investment Showcase: Unveiling Opportunities from Select African & Caribbean Sub-Sovereigns.”
He showcased the state’s efforts to break trade barriers through initiatives aimed at attracting investment and deepening trade.
Reaffirming Ogun’s position as Nigeria’s leading investment destination, Abiodun stressed the importance of subnationals in advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He noted that despite Africa’s vast potential, intra-continental trade accounts for only about 15 percent of total trade, citing weak infrastructure, cumbersome regulations, and fragmented value chains as major obstacles.
He outlined Ogun State’s economic transformation blueprint, which includes multi-modal infrastructure development such as the Gateway International Cargo Airport, Ijebu-Ode and Kajola Dry Ports, over 1,200 kilometres of upgraded roads, and expanded gas reticulation networks.
The governor also highlighted the state’s economic development clusters and free trade zones, including the Remo Economic Development Cluster, the Ijebu Economic Development Cluster (close to the Dangote Refinery and agro-allied industries), the Agbara Industrial Cluster, and the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone, all designed to support shared utilities, co-location, and value-chain optimisation.
