The Kano Free Trade Zone (KFTZ) has reported a remarkable increase in economic activity in 2025, generating more than N18 billion in combined revenue through operations managed by the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and the Nigeria Customs Service.
NEPZA Managing Director, Olufemi Ogunyemi, disclosed the figures at the 2025 Kano Free Trade Zone Investors and Stakeholders Forum held on Wednesday in Kano.
He noted that NEPZA internally generated over N1.8 billion, while Customs revenue from the zone reached N17 billion between January and October, highlighting the zone’s growing efficiency and operational capacity.
The forum, which featured a two-day workshop themed “Strengthening Partnerships for Efficient Service Delivery in the Free Trade Zone”, convened investors, regulatory agencies, and government officials to explore strategies for operational improvements, regulatory compliance, and enhanced collaboration.
Ogunyemi said the zone’s revenue growth underscores its potential as a key driver of non-oil industrialisation and export-led growth.
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“The volume of investment within the zone continues to rise, and these achievements demonstrate its role in transforming Nigeria’s economic landscape,” he stated.
Kassim Ibrahim, Kano State coordinator for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), stressed the need for strict compliance with safety, quality, and efficacy standards in food and drug production.
“Failure to meet standards does not just affect companies; it undermines NAFDAC and Nigeria’s credibility in global markets,” he warned. Ibrahim also outlined plans to implement unannounced inspections to enhance post-marketing surveillance.
Richard Bassi, head of the Kano Free Trade Zone, credited the zone’s success to strong collaboration among NEPZA, NAFDAC, Customs, and other regulatory agencies. “Continued teamwork is essential for sustaining investor confidence and consolidating recent gains,” he said.
The forum highlighted the Federal Government’s ongoing push to diversify Nigeria’s economy away from crude oil toward non-oil sectors.
Central to the zone’s appeal is its ‘One Stop Shop’ system, which consolidates approvals from immigration, NAFDAC, Customs, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, providing investors with efficiency, transparency, and confidence factors that have driven significant investment and contributed to the zone’s impressive revenue growth.
