By Wealth Oghenemaro
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Tuesday performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kwale Free Trade Zone (KFTZ) in Ndokwa West Local Government Area — a major milestone in the state’s industrialisation drive.
The KFTZ is a flagship component of the Delta Special Economic Zone Project, designed to attract both local and foreign investments into sectors such as energy, petrochemicals, agro-processing, logistics, and manufacturing.
Describing the initiative as “a promise made, promise kept,” Governor Oborevwori said the project would stimulate massive economic growth, create thousands of jobs, and position Kwale as a strategic hub for industrial development in the South-South.
He noted that Kwale’s central location and abundant gas resources make it an attractive destination for investors seeking energy-efficient and cost-effective operations.
“Already, eight companies have indicated firm interest in operating from the zone — two fully licensed, three approved for licenses, and another three in the final stages of regulatory processing,” Oborevwori disclosed.
He further revealed that the state had invested over ₦3 billion in Delta Wires Industries, the first company to commence operations within the zone, which will manufacture conductors, cables, and gas cylinders for both LPG and CNG markets.
“This is how we intend to use our natural gas resources to power industrial growth and create jobs for our people,” he said.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing infrastructure, security, and regulatory support for investors, warning against encroachment on government-acquired lands.
“We have acquired 1,000 hectares of land and paid full compensation. Anyone attempting to encroach on government property will be stopped. This project belongs to all Deltans — it is our collective future,” he warned.
Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme, who served as Chief Host, described the project as “the long-awaited economic rebirth of Ndokwa land.”
“One company alone has promised to create 10,000 jobs. Imagine the impact when 20 or 30 companies are fully operational here. Unemployment in Ndokwa will soon be history,” Onyeme said, noting that some investors had also pledged to provide power for both industrial and community use.
Former Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who chaired the occasion, commended Oborevwori for sustaining the vision of continuity in governance.
“Governor Oborevwori has continued where we stopped, and that’s how great leaders build lasting progress. In five to ten years, this place will be transformed into a vibrant industrial city,” Okowa said.
He urged host communities to protect the investment and consider allocating additional land for expansion, stressing that “with the level of investment and available gas here, 1,000 hectares will not be enough.”
Chairman of the Delta Special Economic Zone Management Company, Brig. Gen. Mike Ndubisi (rtd), described the groundbreaking as “a milestone in Delta’s industrial evolution.”
“We are not just building factories — we are building a brighter future for Deltans,” he said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Delta Special Economic Zone, Pastor Godwin Akpovie, disclosed that over $100 million worth of investments had already been committed to the Kwale and Koko clusters.
“We are partnering with the Nigerian Ports Authority and the African Development Bank to link Koko Port to Kwale through a new industrial corridor,” Akpovie added.
Chairman of Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Chief Obi Nzete, pledged the council’s full support in securing and protecting all investments within the zone, describing the initiative as “a landmark step toward Delta’s economic transformation.”
The event also featured goodwill messages from the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and major investors, including Xenergri Limited, Eastern Delta Wires Industries Ltd, Africa Gas Access, Chorus Energy, and Masters Chemicals & Fertilizer Company, all reaffirming their commitment to fast-tracking operations.
From conception under Okowa to execution under Oborevwori, the Kwale Free Trade Zone stands as a testament to visionary leadership, policy continuity, and the dawn of a new industrial revolution in Delta State and Nigeria’s oil-rich South-South.
