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FG targets 3,000 jobs with airports approved as special economic zones

Oluwasina Phillip

The federal government has said that it is targeting the creation of 30,000 direct jobs with the airports that have been designated as special economic zones.

The Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority Prof. Adesoji Adesugba disclosed this during the courtesy visit of the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Rabiu Yadudu to the agency, in Abuja.

Last month the President has approved four airports in the country as special economic zones.

The approved airports include Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Adesugba said, “We expect that with direct employment we should have nothing less than 3,000, however, direct and indirect employment will be much more than that.”

He noted that the zones will create indirect jobs by engaging the services of suppliers, producers, marketers, transporters who will be involved in the economic activities within the airports.

The NEPZA boss also stated that his agency and FAAN are ready to work together to leverage the designated airports to deepen economic activities and significantly contribute to the country’s GDP.

“With the Presidents designation of the airports, NEPZA and FAAN are ready and eager to work together to ensure that we bring about a model which is going to be much better that what you see in places like dubai, deepen economic activities and to significantly contribute to the country’s GDP”, he said.  

According to Adesugba, the agencies have set up an implementation committee, which are expected to commence operations immediately to develop intended structures for the zones.

The NEPZA MD also announced the establishment of a Nigeria economic zones institute in Kano, which he said, will be fully function in a year’s time.

The MD of FAAN, said that the purpose of the visit was to seek the corporation and guidance of NEPZA to ensure that the airports become accredited economic processing zones.

“We can’t achieve this without you and we belive that if we do it that way it will ginger a lot of activities to drive economic activities, create a lot of opportunities and business opportunities for the people doing the importing and exporting, boost employment and so much more,” he added.

Yadudu also expressed the agency’s commitment and preparedness to ensure the transformation of the airports into special economic zones.

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