… Eye aerospace supply chain

… Target 950 jobs, N480bn annual revenue, global links

The Ondo State Government has signed a public-private partnership agreement with PyVee Limited, a Nigerian company with United States-linked technical partners, to develop West Africa’s first and Africa’s second fully integrated titanium value-chain processing plant.

The move is set to position the state at the center of a new strategic minerals corridor connecting Nigeria to American aerospace and defense supply chains.

The agreement, facilitated through the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA), was signed at the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure, under the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Under the terms of the partnership, the state government has allocated 100.079 hectares of land at Alape, along Igbokoda–Ugbonla Road in the Ilaje Local Council Area, a site selected for its access to lagoon, gas infrastructure for captive power generation, and proximity to the Deep-Sea Port and export logistics along the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Corridor.

It was gathered that the land is being contributed as equity, giving the state a stake in the joint-venture Special Purpose Vehicle, PyVee Nigeria Titanium Limited, rather than a one-off payment.

Beyond the land allocation, the state government will facilitate access to raw materials, support the acquisition of requisite licenses, permits, and regulatory approvals, provide critical infrastructure within the project area, and coordinate the resolution of host community-related matters to ensure seamless implementation and long-term sustainability of the investment.

The project carries an estimated total capital outlay of US$362 million across two developmental phases, with the first phase entailing the construction of a commercial pilot plant at a cost of $12 million, while the second phase will see the development of a full-scale titanium processing complex, with combined investment requirements exceeding US$350 million.

The two phases are projected to generate more than N300 billion in annual gross economic value for the state and over N480 billion nationally, while creating more than 150 direct jobs in Phase 1 and over 800 direct jobs in Phase 2, with thousands of additional indirect and induced employment opportunities across the wider value chain.

The proposed facility will process Nigeria’s abundant ilmenite ore locally instead of exporting it in raw form, reducing dependence on imported titanium products.

The modular plant will be fabricated by a U.S. fabrication partner and shipped to Nigeria for installation and commissioning and will produce titanium dioxide pigment and titanium sponge while providing a platform for the future production of additional strategic materials, including niobium-titanium alloys and selected rare earth products, through an integrated chemical-processing system.

The Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti, who signed on behalf of the state, framed the partnership as a direct expression of Aiyedatiwa’s industrialization agenda, noting that the administration’s task is to ensure the state’s mineral wealth translates into local jobs, technology transfer, and sustained revenue rather than raw exports.

“This is exactly the kind of partnership our administration has been working toward, one where Ondo State’s resources stay home long enough to create value, jobs, and lasting revenue for our people,” Fasoranti said.

The SSG reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to seeing the project through from land allocation to commissioning and positioning Ondo State as a serious destination for foreign direct investment in the mining and materials sector.

Emmanuel Omomowo, Chief Executive Officer of ONDIPA, spoke to the agency’s role in structuring and de-risking the transaction for both parties, from due diligence on PyVee’s technical and financial capacity to the equity-for-land arrangement that gives the state a stake in the SPV.

While describing the deal as a template for future PPP-driven industrial projects in the state, Omomomo said, “By taking equity instead of cash for the land, Ondo State isn’t just a host; we’re a partner whose fortunes rise with the project’s success, and that’s the model we want to replicate across future investments.”

Dr. Peter Oladipupo, founder and CEO of PyVee Limited, a native of Ogun State and a chemical engineering PhD holder from Purdue University, said the agreement marks an important step in moving the titanium-processing project from development toward implementation.

“Our objective is to build the processing capabilities needed to create greater value from Africa’s mineral resources, while developing industrial partnerships that connect African critical-mineral value chains with global markets,” he said.