By Joy Onu
The Federal Government has intensified efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s industrial and trade framework with the inauguration of governing boards of key agencies under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, alongside strategic engagement with the organised private sector in Abuja.
In a press statement issued by Augustina Obilor-Duru, head, Press and Public Relations, the Ministry said the activities, held on the same day, included the inauguration of the governing boards of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), and the Governing Council of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), as well as a courtesy visit by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
The inauguration of the OGFZA Governing Board marked the first event, with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, stressing the importance of institutional leadership, policy alignment and effective governance in achieving national economic objectives.
Inaugurating the board, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, described oil and gas free zones as strategic tools for industrialisation, investment attraction and value-chain development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, charging the board to ensure regulatory discipline and tangible economic outcomes in line with the OGFZA Act.
The Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, described the inauguration as a critical governance milestone in Nigeria’s industrial and export-led growth journey, emphasising that export processing zones must deliver measurable results in production, employment and foreign exchange generation.
Responding, the Chairman of the OGFZA Governing Board, Mrs. Lydia Kalat Musa, thanked President Tinubu for the confidence reposed in the board and pledged responsible leadership, effective collaboration with management and stakeholders, and diligent execution of the Authority’s mandate.
Attention later shifted to the inauguration of the NEPZA Governing Board, where Ambassador Rimi reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening institutional frameworks that promote industrial growth, export expansion and investor confidence, while Dr. Oduwole reaffirmed government’s resolve to reposition export processing zones as drivers of non-oil exports, manufacturing growth and global value-chain integration.
Senator Enoh underscored the need for transparency, decisive governance and accountability at NEPZA, while the Chairman of the Governing Board, Senator Tijani Yahaya Laura, expressed appreciation to the President and pledged to work collectively with board members and management to advance the Authority’s objectives in line with national priorities.
The final inauguration was that of the Governing Council of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, with Ambassador Rimi highlighting the need for institutional cooperation, policy coherence and adherence to international best practices, while Dr. Oduwole described standards as fundamental to consumer protection, industrial competitiveness and Nigeria’s positioning in regional and global markets.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Oduwole hosted a delegation from the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by its President and Chairman of Council, Engr. Leye Kupoluyi, who commended the Ministry’s reform efforts, outlined private sector concerns, proposed enhanced dialogue and regulatory reforms, and congratulated the Minister on Nigeria’s successful bid to host the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027 in Lagos, reaffirming the Chamber’s support for Nigeria’s trade promotion agenda.
