Harboursandport.com: The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) said it has recorded N50 billion in the last three years, sufficing that not less than 39 licence permits were issued to operators in the last 29 years.

Revealing this to the newsmen at a recent public function held in Lagos, the Acting Managing Director, NEPZA, Engr. David Terhemba Nongo, said that the feat was far better than what they have recorded in the past administration by noting that the highest it recorded under past government was only N2 billion.

Engr. Nongo also said that the issuances were in line with the authority’s mandate, adding that two of the zones were public owned with 14 currently operational as the remaining zones that have been licensed by the authority are still under various stages of development.

He equally added that a total of $16billion Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), has been attracted into the nation’s economy.

He stated: “From 1992 to April 2017, NEPZA had 34 Free Zones spread across the country and between then and now, the number has risen to 39.

“And with 39 Free Zones, Industrial parks and well over 400 licensed Free Zones Enterprises (FZEs), NEPZA has attracted over $16billion FDI into the national economy since inception; and contributes a major percentage of FDI that Nigeria attracts.

He pointed out that some of the new special economic zones include: Lekki, Sokoto, Makurdi, Ilorin, Bauchi, Abakaliki and Benin.

Furthermore, NEPZA boss explained that the authority has the presidential authorisation to licence new zones, pilot industrial parks and special economic zones, one at each geopolitical zone in the country.

The NEPZA boss who spoke through the Head of Corporate Communication, Simon Imobo Tsuwan, explained that the authority has been able to record N50 billion in the last three years, adding that the highest it recorded under past government was N2 billion.

He affirmed that the Free Zones scheme was envisioned on diversifying the nation’s economy from oil, fast-tracking her industrialisation, stimulating export oriented business enterprises and manufacturing, strengthening strategic national economic policies.

“Our vision is to establish industrial zones of the highest quality that meet the needs of investors and ensure a diversified economy”, he emphasized.