Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has revealed that the upgrade of Kano and Calabar Free Trade Zones are almost complete.
Speaking to journalists on the performance of NEPZA in 2019 during the staff union’s end of year seminar held in Abuja, the Acting Managing Director of NEPZA, Engr. Terhemba Nongo, said the upgrade involved provision of internal road networks, water supply and electricity to make the zones attractive to investors and manufacturers.
The NEPZA boss said the Federal Government was targeting investors who would manufacture 100 per cent for exports in the Free Zones.
He also revealed that no new Free Trade Zone was approved in 2019 because of the interference by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in the approval process.
He said, “out of perception, the FIRS said some free trade zones won’t start.”
The NEPZA boss said a committee, comprising of relevant stakeholders, has been set up to resolve the problem and hopefully, about six new free trade zones pending on the table of President Muhammad Buhari may be approved.
Daily Trust recalls that the present administration approved the establishment of new free economic zones to be sited in each geopolitical zones in the country (FEZs).
However, the implementation has been stalled due to the disagreement between NEPZA and the Industry Ministry on the implementing body and the custody of the funds released for the projects.
The NEPZA unit Chairman of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Mr Samari Yakubu, said those blocking NEPZA from implementing the FEZs are frustrating Federal Government’s drive to
