Business
PHOTOS: Lee Group’s industrial park targets 15,000 jobs, 29 factories
The Lee Group of Companies has commenced the development of a $1.8bn industrial park in Ogun State, with plans to establish more than 29 manufacturing facilities and generate about 15,000 direct and indirect jobs upon completion.
The 450-hectare industrial park, located at Makun Bridge, near the Sagamu Interchange along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, is expected to accommodate manufacturing businesses covering food and beverages, footwear, leather processing, detergents, personal care products, automotive components, plastics and recycling.
The Chairman of Lee Group, Mr Sheau Lee, disclosed this on Thursday during the groundbreaking ceremony of the project, which he said was conceived in 2009 by his late father, Mr Man Lung Lee, as his final project in Africa.
Lee said the proposed development, which was initially planned for about 650 hectares, would have an estimated gross development value of $3bn when completed.
He explained that the investment would be implemented in phases, with more than 29 factories expected to be established on the site.
According to him, the industrial park is designed primarily to serve the Nigerian market through local manufacturing rather than the conventional model of developing industrial plots for resale or rental.
He said, “On this site, we envisage an investment of approximately $1.8bn over the coming years, with more than 29 manufacturing facilities planned, and approximately 15,000 direct and indirect jobs expected. The completed development is projected to have a gross development value of $3bn.
“This investment is founded on our confidence in the Nigerian market. The country’s population and domestic demand offer substantial opportunity for local production, while its location allows manufacturers to serve neighbouring countries as well.
“Our park will operate outside the Free Trade Zone system, with the focus of meeting Nigerian consumption through local manufacturing.”
The chairman said the project would be driven by factories owned by the Lee Group and investments undertaken in partnership with other companies, particularly manufacturers from China.
He listed the proposed manufacturing activities to include food and beverages, footwear-related industries, detergent and personal care products, trucks, trailers, automotive activities, PVC leather production, mould manufacturing and plastic recycling.
The chairman, however, said the project had suffered years of delay due to misunderstandings about the company’s intentions, including perceptions that it was involved in land speculation.
He commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his intervention, which he said helped resolve the issues and enabled the company to proceed with the development.
In his remarks, Abiodun described the groundbreaking as a defining moment in Ogun State’s industrialisation drive, saying the project represented a major vote of confidence in the state’s investment climate.
The governor said the development was particularly significant because it had been conceived several years before his administration but had remained unrealised until his government engaged the investors.
He said, “Today is a day of celebration of perseverance, focus and tenacity. These initiatives were procrastinated by others before me. But today, we’re here conducting this flag-off.
“It represents a very defining moment in our collective journey towards building a prosperous, industrialised and economically competitive Ogun State.
According to the governor, the proposed 450-hectare facility would significantly strengthen the state’s manufacturing base and attract additional commercial activities to the surrounding communities.
He said nearly 80 per cent of the land would be devoted to industrial production, while the remaining facilities would support commercial activities, exhibitions, bonded warehousing, road networks and other essential services.
The governor urged the company to prioritise local employment, skills development and technology transfer, assuring the investors of the state government’s continued institutional support.
He also described the project as an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the Federal Government’s efforts to promote local manufacturing and reduce dependence on imported goods.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh, described the project as an important step towards implementing Nigeria’s industrial policy, which prioritises productivity, value addition and economic transformation.
Enoh said the Federal Government had unveiled a new Nigerian Industrial Policy in February 2025, adding that the establishment of industrial parks and manufacturing clusters was central to achieving its objectives.
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