At the inauguration of a major national infrastructure project, Senate President Godswill Akpabio delivered a spirited speech lauding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership and vision, and also the commitment and dedication of Ogun state Governor. The event marked the commissioning of the first completed phase 30 kilometers of the ambitious 750-kilometer Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway.
As reported by Channels Television, speaking before an audience that included President Tinubu, deputy Senate president, state governors, business moguls like Aliko Dangote and Gilbert Chagoury, and traditional rulers, Akpabio lauded the efforts of Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, highlighting major strides in agriculture, industrialization, and infrastructure that have positioned the state as a beacon of economic progress in Nigeria.
The Senate President specifically noted the development of a large-scale cotton farming project spanning 10,000 hectares, which currently employs over 250,000 people. He emphasized that with the completion of a new international airport, Ogun State is poised to begin exporting cotton globally, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s non-oil export ambitions.
“Ogun is creating new industrial capacity along the Agbara-Abeokuta corridor,” Akpabio said. “Foreign direct investments of over $5 billion have already been secured, and nearly all major industries in Nigeria are establishing a presence there.”
He remarked that Ogun State is fast catching up to Lagos in terms of internally generated revenue and economic activity.
He jokingly noted “Ogun state is almost beating Lagos. I just want Sanwo-olu to be aware of it.”
Akpabio concluded by urging other state governors to take note of Ogun’s progress and leverage federal partnerships to accelerate their own development goals.
The Senate President’s comments come amid increased attention on subnational development and the diversification of Nigeria’s economy. With federal support through infrastructure projects like the coastal highway, states like Ogun are expected to play even greater roles in national growth.
