NEPZA

Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), has described Mrs Katherine Ekekezie, immediate past Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Excise, Free Trade Zone and Industrial Incentive as a “brilliant administrator’’ whose interventions in the management of the free zone scheme helped positioned it for global competitiveness.

Adesugba made the remark in Abuja while bidding the former customs officer farewell.

The NEPZA boss, himself a former customs officer used the occasion to reminisce on some of the official activities both did together while in service, adding that Ekekezie had always showed uncommon brilliance on any assigned tasks.

“I have known DCG Katherine Chinwe Ekekezie for decades during which time we shared knowledge on various customs’ job specifications and their complexities. She was always learning and perfecting her skills on those duties much more than her peers.

“I am, therefore, not surprised about her uncommon patriotism, skills and rectitude in the manner she had managed her role in the free trade zone circle.

“Ekekezie, did bring in marvelous suggestions and inputs that shaped the Authority’s relationship with the Nigeria Customs service. We have also inputted most of her contributions into our strategy plan which continue to give the scheme global recognition’’, Adesugba said.

Adesugba further explained that the former customs chief was often times caught between making the free trade zone to have greater meaning in the industrialisation process of the country and radically insisting on the collections of taxes and levies.

He noted that Ekekezie had always allowed the legal framework of both organisations to guide her decisions without soppiness.

The managing director, therefore, said that the service must ensure that the officer who would take over the position must be one with similar skills, knowledge and disposition toward the greater good of the scheme.

 In another development, the NEPZA boss used the occasion to deliver to Ekekezie an award from the National Association of Retired Para-military Officers (NARPO), Abuja Chapter in recognition of her “Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to NARPO and Nigeria’’.

Recall that Adesugba was among the earliest convener of this body and had served as its chairman for eight years.

By Dr Martins Odeh

The 30th anniversary of the Nigeria’s Free Trade Zone has come and gone, but still echoes perquisite of glitz, optimism and influence owing to the scheme’s generalised positive impact on the nation’s economy.

The anniversary which held between November 30th and December 2nd availed the country the rare privilege to also host the 7th Annual Meeting of the Africa Economic Zones Organisation (AEZO) and the 5th African Union Commission symposium with representatives from 46 African countries in attendance.

It is, however, not surprising that stakeholders, including international firms, potential investors and Chief Executive Officers of free trade zones of countries leveraged on the gathering to hold series of sideline meetings that resulted in various business agreements.

The feelings of raw African solidarity and the readiness of countries in the continent to widen trade cooperation were palpable.

More than anything else, these outcomes called for more celebration as the 46 nations also agreed to influence their home governments to give free zone regulatory bodies a first-line-charge to drive rapid development and industrialisation of the continent.

This initiative if implemented would see these bodies brought under direct supervision of the presidency and would avail the Managing Directors/CEOs of those agencies to also be part of the Federal Executive Meetings.

Aside some of the obvious challenges that have limited the growth of the concept in Africa, Nigeria has a proven record of galvanising Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and breaking new grounds for backward linkages with the over 200 million local market population in grand style.

Those critical success indices required by the Federal Government to embolden both the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and Oil and Gas Processing Zones Authority (OGFZA) in order to play deeper roles in the nation’s economic development and the industrialisation process has sufficiently been demonstrated by the leadership of the two regulatory bodies.

For instance, the rare professionalism, focus, personal vision and thoroughness in the management of both capital and human resources by Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, the Managing Director/CEO of NEPZA have transformed the agency from just being the regular agency to a rather troubleshooting and problem-solving agency.

 NEPZA has in the last two and half years introduced game changing reforms in the management of the country’s free trade zone. This feat has also caught the attention of free zone owners and his counterparts across the continent.

Adesugba’s untiring influence in the investment promotion environment has helped to jerk up the cumulative investment of the country’s free zone to N14.1 trillion, about (30 billion US dollars).

It is also imperative to state that the scheme also generated a total of N35.1 billion for government as Custom Duty and N408.3 million remitted as PAYE taxes in 2021 while a total of 19,125 employments were generated within the same period.

At the moment, NEPZA is on the historical path of linking Nigeria to the near 1 trillion US dollars Virtual/Blockchains economy as the agency is advancing toward licencing a maiden virtual free zone in Africa.

The push in using the scheme to attain global competitiveness is achievable as it is the wish of NEPZA management to establish at least one free zone in the 774 Local Government Areas of the country for inclusiveness and balanced development.

At least, efforts have been made toward this direction with the approval of six free zones for Lekki, Ilorin, Funtua-Katsina, Ebonyi, Makurdi, and Gombe respectively.

In September, Hydropolis, a private Free Trade Zone was licenced to set up in Kainji Niger State where initial 1 billion US dollars investment shall be made to change the business landscape of the entire North Central region of the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, being the number stakeholder and driver of the free trade zone scheme in Nigeria, has in the last seven years shown leadership and genuine support for the scheme to drive his economic policies.

His candid disposition toward the concept led the administration to recently designate the country’s four viable International Airports as free trade zones in line with current global practice.

The president, also aware of the indispensability of a new independent free zone security architecture, gave approval for the establishing of the Special Economic Zones Security (SEZSEC) to be solely operated by NEPZA, with the MD/CEO as its Commandant General.

Buhari, represented at the event by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sir Umana Okon Umana, expressed profound delight on the contributions of both NEPZA and OGFZA to the country economy.

“Free Zones have successfully created almost 400,000 direct jobs, raised over $45.7bn in foreign direct investments and almost N1.5tn in local investments.

“These numbers do not even take into consideration the huge levels of investment going into the Dangote Free Zone, the direct portion of which is over 13 billion US Dollars.

“It has evolved over the years from a strictly export-oriented manufacturing strategy to a more liberal scheme allowing a greater level of interaction with the domestic economy, whilst simultaneously creating an attractive environment for potential investors. 

“Other significant projects include a mega oil and gas downstream manufacturing hub with dedicated seaport terminals focused on driving local manufacture of oil and gas derivatives for exports necessary for full participation in the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA),’’ Buhari said.

He further explained that achievements had also been recorded in the areas of strategic alliances and policy enhancements which have enhanced the overall attractiveness of the scheme.

The president also said that the improvements in inter-agency cooperation and collaboration had led to the birth of documents such as the Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Free Zone.

 “In the same vein, the Central Bank of Nigeria is updating Guidelines for Banking Operations in the Free Zones which will serve as a regulatory document geared to improve ease of operations within the zones.

“The Nigeria Customs Service, another key stakeholder, has also been directed to fully implement the free zones concession regarding imports and exports by free zone enterprises into the customs territory.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we must use the opportunity to chart a way forward for the next 30 years. We must strengthen the scheme into a socio-economic development tool that adapts easily to changing regional and global trends,’’ the president said.

In conclusion, the president’s acknowledgment of the economic and social impact of the free trade zones in the country was not misplaced as NEPZA was recently honoured with AEZO 2022 Award as: “Nigeria Outstanding Social Impact Special Economic Zone.’’

This award by the Africa Economic Zones Organisation, a body with 46 member African free zone nations speaks volume and only shows that the Adesugba-led NEPZA is on the right track.

Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, Managing Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has described the appointment of Mrs Oluwasoromidayo George as the Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Export Group (MANEG) as a new dawn for Nigeria’s export sector.

Adesugba said this in a congratulatory message issued on Sunday in Abuja by Martins Odeh, Head of Corporate Communications, NEPZA.

He said that it was time for the organised private sector to re-organise itself more profoundly in order to increase collaborations with relevant government agencies to speed up the country’s economic growth.

According to Adesugba, the association had, however, consistently shown its capacity to assist government in driving production.

He said that George’s appointment indicated the readiness of the group to commit to a competitive export arena.

“Oluwasoromidayo George remains a fantastic asset for the country and for the organised private sector with incredible cognate experience in diverse areas of the economy.

“We are hopeful that her reign will increase the country’s export profiles significantly.

“For us in NEPZA, we look forward to deepening our collaboration with her office to boost the country’s industrialisation process as well.

“Let me, therefore, congratulate her on this new appointment and also to express my delight on the series of strides made by MAN over the years to grow the nation’s economy,’’ he said.

George is also the Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Business Director, Unilever, West Africa and the Chairperson of the UN Global Compact Network, Nigeria.

She is a Co-Chair of CEO Water Mandate Council, representing the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

She was the first female Executive Director of the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATN) and the Head of Corporate Affairs, British American Tobacco (BAT) in West and Central Africa.

An Ad hoc Committee of the House of Representatives has given Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) a seven-day ultimatum to reconcile its account or pay N13.3 billion into the federation account.

The committee which is on the Recovery of Unclaimed Funds Trapped in Commercial Banks between 2013 to 2021, issued the ultimatum at a public hearing in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Uyime Idem (PDP-Akwa Ibom) said that enough time had been given to the agency to reconcile its account saying that the house will not hesitate to forced NEPZA pay the amount when the ultimatum elapses.

He said that the law required the agency to pay into government coffers, 80 per cent of its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)

The lawmaker said that available documents at the committee’s passion suggest that NEPZA was yet to remit the sum of N13.3 billion into the federation account.

Responding, the Director Finance of the NEPZA, Dr Oyeshola Oyekunle said that the agency is not owing the Federal Government.

He said that within the period, the agency had remitted N3.92 billion into the federation account instead of N2.3 billion.

The director said that the excess was as a result of a circular from the Ministry of Finance which mandated the agency to pay 25 per cent of operating surplus into government covers.

Oyekunle argued that the N13.3 billion was not properly calculated saying that the consultants that prepared the documents, considered personnel cost as IGR.

He said that he had made several efforts to meet with the consultant but the expert was not always in town.

The hearing was then adjourned to Thursday September 1, for final ruling.

In a related development, the committee, mandated Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to present evidence of its annual financial reports between 2013 – 2021.

It also requested said that for remittances, PTAD should provide treasury receipts stating the sums remitted or evidence at “mop-ups” at unspent surpluses between the same period and any other relevant document.