The federal government has reiterated its commitment to reforming Nigeria's Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to boost exports and job creation. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, made the declaration during a meeting with a delegation from the Nigeria Economic Zones Association (NEZA) in Abuja on Thursday. She emphasized ongoing reforms to strengthen SEZ performance, increase investor confidence, and expand Nigeria's export capacity. Oduwole stressed the need for collaboration with stakeholders in shaping policies and legislative frameworks, stating, "our focus is on building a sustainable legacy of reforms that will unlock exports, create jobs, and improve the competitiveness of our economic zones." Regulatory reviews are underway to eliminate inefficiencies and align incentives with national economic priorities. Permanent Secretary Chris Isokpunwu described the engagement as a strategic step toward stronger partnership, praising NEZA's role in policy development. NEZA chairman Nabil Saleh said the visit aimed to enhance dialogue on repositioning SEZs for industrialisation and export growth. He identified coordination gaps and procedural delays as key obstacles, adding that clear dispute resolution mechanisms and performance tracking could make Nigeria's SEZs more competitive globally. Both government and private sector representatives affirmed a shared commitment to accelerating reforms and improving implementation for sustainable growth and increased international trade.
Jumoke Oduwole speaks of fast-tracking reforms while stakeholders continue to flag coordination gaps and delays that have persisted under her ministry's oversight. Nabil Saleh's call for better coordination and dispute resolution processes exposes a recurring flaw in the implementation framework that affects investor confidence in SEZs. If regulatory reviews are ongoing and discussions remain at the dialogue stage, Nigerian investors and workers are left waiting for tangible outcomes from promises of job creation and export growth. The gap between policy rhetoric and operational reality keeps narrowing, but not fast enough to benefit those who depend on these zones for economic survival.
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