Zainab Ali
The Kano Free Trade Zone recorded a major surge in economic activity in 2025, generating over N18 billion in combined revenue through operations led by the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and the Nigeria Customs Service.
The NEPZA Managing Director, Olufemi Ogunyemi, disclosed this on Wednesday at the 2025 Kano Free Trade Zone Investors and Stakeholders Forum held in Kano.
According to him, NEPZA internally generated more than N1.8 billion, while revenue collected by the Nigeria Customs Service within the zone amounted to N17 billion between January and October 2025, underscoring the zone’s growing capacity and operational efficiency.
The forum, which featured a two-day workshop themed “Strengthening Partnerships for Efficient Service Delivery in the Free Trade Zone,” brought together investors, regulatory agencies and government representatives to deliberate on operational improvements, regulatory compliance and collaboration strategies.
Ogunyemi said the steady revenue growth reflects the zone’s rising profile as a key driver of non-oil industrialisation and export-led economic growth.
“The volume of investment within the zone continues to rise, and these achievements demonstrate its role in transforming Nigeria’s economic landscape,” he said.
The Kano State Coordinator of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Kassim Ibrahim, stressed the importance of strict compliance with safety, quality and efficacy standards in food and drug production.
“Failure to meet standards does not just affect companies; it undermines NAFDAC and Nigeria’s credibility in global markets,” he said.
He also revealed plans to introduce unannounced inspections to strengthen post-marketing surveillance.
The Head of the Kano Free Trade Zone, Richard Bassi, attributed the zone’s success to strong collaboration among NEPZA, NAFDAC, Customs and other regulatory agencies.
“Continued teamwork is essential for sustaining investor confidence and consolidating recent gains,” he said.
The forum reaffirmed the Federal Government’s drive to diversify Nigeria’s economy away from crude oil dependence to non-oil sectors.
The zone’s ‘One-Stop Shop’ system, which centralises approvals from Immigration, NAFDAC, Customs and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has provided investors with improved efficiency, transparency and confidence — key factors behind the zone’s impressive revenue growth.