Agbara, a big industrial hub

Agbara, located in Ogun State, has become a big industrial hub, hosting some of the largest and medium-scale manufacturing companies in Nigeria.

Apart from a pharmaceutical company Pharma Deko Plc, Agbara hosts Unilever, a Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) firm, which recently opened its Blue Band factory there.

It also hosts America’s biggest non-oil investment in Nigeria, Procter & Gamble, which in 2014 announced plans to pump $300 million into its factory there.

It is a host to the big biscuit maker Beloxxi, which attracted an $80 million investment from a consortium led by sub-Saharan Africa-focused 8 Miles amid foreign exchange (FX) crisis in the country.

The city has also attracted GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Evans Medical Plc and Beta Glass Plc.

“In the biscuit market, I believe in creating the right type of impression about your product first,” said Obi Ezeude, CEO, Beloxxi Group, during a factory visit.

“We have completed the second phase expansion and are planning to introduce the second brand early next year,” Ezeude, who employs over 1300 workers and uses a smart machine in manufacturing, said.

Agbara also hosts GZ Industries and Cometstar Cable.

Many more manufacturing firms have moved to Agbara in recent times. More investments are also moving to other parts of Ogun State, including  Igbesa, Abeokuta, Sango-Otta, Ibafo, Mowe, Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu industrial clusters, all in Ogun State.

In the last three to four years, manufacturers have either moved from Lagos to Ogun or relocated their factories to the state, leaving only administrative offices in Lagos. Some of the companies that have done that include Fidson Healthcare, May & Baker,  Pure Chemicals, Eagle Packaging, Nycil Limited, and Dufil, among others.

ODINAKA ANUDU