The president’s approval was given following the request for the status by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo.
According to a statement titled, “President Buhari Approves free trade zone status for Ekiti Knowledge Zone” by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Ifedayo Sayo, Buhari’s approval was contained in a letter by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
Sayo said, “The letter titled: ‘Re: Recommendation for approval and designation of free trade zone status in Ekiti Knowledge Zone (EKZ) was addressed to the minister.
“The letter reads, ‘Kindly note that Mr President has granted free zone status approval for the Ekiti Knowledge Zone located along Ado-Ijan Road, Ekiti State on a parcel of land measuring approximately 208.949HA with coordinates 8042765.02m’N; 761’ 244.963m’ E, in accordance with Section 1 (1) of the NEPZA Act Cap. N107 Laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004”.
Recall that in January, the Managing Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority, Prof Adesoji Adesugba, had during a visit to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, expressed the Federal Government’s committed to making Ekiti State a major free trade zone in Nigeria by supporting it in delivering economic and knowledge free zone where education-based industries and technological companies could operate from.
The NEPZA boss had said, “I personally came to Ekiti State to show the commitment of the Federal Government to support the state in delivering an economic and knowledge free zone and be the home of block chain technology where technological companies and other industries that have things to do with education.
“Ekiti is known for education and ideas innovation and this is where we are going to show the world that Nigeria has arrived. The first thing for us is to first of all get a Presidential declaration to make that place a free zone.
“Within the next 18 months, we would get so many industries, both virtual and on-sight there. As we speak, there are people who are already planning and working, so, we, on our own part, are to get this approval,” he had said.
