Centenary economic city, others not among inactive free zones -NEPZA

Philip Clement – Abuja

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has dismissed reports making rounds suggesting that the Centenary Economic City Free Zone, Tomaro Free Zone and Abuja Technology Village (ATV) Free Zone are inactive Free Zones.

NEPZA dismissed the report in a statement by its Head of Corporate Communications, Simon Imobo-Tswam in Abuja.

Imobo-Tswam said the report is not a true representation of what the acting Managing Director, Engr. Terhemba Nongo, said during his Half-Year Media Interaction with newsmen on 11th September 2019 at NEPZA Headquarters.

“NEPZA wishes to refute the false news and category state that the Centenary Economic Free Trade Zone, Tomaro free zone and Abuja technology village free zone are not inactive Free Zones, and cannot, therefore, be listed among the inactive Free Zones in the country.

“The Managing Director spoke about the Authority’s plans for inactive Zones, a journalist wanted to know the status of the Centenary Economic City and the MD said although the Zone had issues prior to 2015, since the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, the matters have all been resolved, and developments are on-going at the Zone, with more and more investors coming.

“It is because the Zone is now very active that the Authority’s In-House Newsmagazine, the Industrialization Digest, proudly featured it on the cover of its 10th Edition in December 2018,” the statement explained.

Imobo-Tswam maintained that Centenary Economic City, Tomaro, as well as Abuja Technology Village Free Zones, are all active.

He urged the general public and all the Zones’ stakeholders to ignore any report to that effect.