Tijani Kaura, managing director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), has announced plans to establish more oil and gas-free zones to boost the nation’s economy and generate employment.

This is contained in a statement by Golda Ukomadu, a spokesperson for OGFZA, on Saturday in Abuja.

The new OGFZA boss spoke during his week-long working visit to oil and gas-free zones in Rivers and Akwa Ibom.

Mr Kaura told the staff of OGFA about the need to be tactical in pursuing its set objectives, saying the authority’s goal was to attract more foreign investments into the country.

He assured that Liberty and Brass Oil and Gas Free Zones (LOGFZA) would take off soon with a conducive environment and global best practices that would enhance the ease of doing business for operators in the free zone.

According to him, the multiple gas downstream projects in LOGFZA will generate employment for Nigerians and attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) into the country.

Mr Kaura commended LOGFZA and the management of free zone enterprises for the preliminary work on constructing access roads into the zone and the jetty and navigation channel to the sea.

The Liberty Oil and Gas Free Zone, established by a Presidential Declaration in 2020, would position the country as the destination for future downstream investments in the oil and gas industry.

The Liberty Oil and Gas Free Zone, which cuts across six local council areas in Akwa Ibom, is also the largest in West Africa, with a landmass measuring 50,215 hectares.

LOGFZ has been granted licenses of free zone enterprises for downstream gas projects like LPG, LNG, fertiliser, ports and jetties. 

(NAN)