The founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Afe Babalola, has expressed his frustration with the delay in granting the university’s industrial park the Free Trade Zone status by the Nigerian government.
Babalola voiced his concerns during the ABUAD-China Partnership Forum Meeting in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, where he hosted delegates from the China-Nigeria Consortium on Industry and Education. He emphasized that the 132 units in the ABUAD industrial park could significantly contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth if properly utilized.
The ABUAD founder pointed to China’s economic rise, noting that the country, once poor, has now surpassed Nigeria in economic matters due to strategic initiatives such as the establishment of Free Trade Zones. He argued that if Nigeria had adopted similar measures, it could be enjoying greater economic development.
Babalola further explained that securing the Free Trade Zone certificate would enable foreign companies, including an American firm planning to manufacture cars in the industrial park, to establish businesses in the park. He lamented that the absence of this certification has hindered the company’s plans.
The chancellor also critiqued the current federal system, asserting that Nigeria would have made more progress if the country still operated under the regional government system. He reiterated his call for a new, people-oriented constitution to better foster national development.
Wendy Wang, Secretary-General of the China-Nigeria Consortium on Industry and Education, commended Babalola’s visionary contributions to education, engineering, and health. She praised ABUAD for being the best institution in Nigeria, particularly for its integration of cutting-edge technologies into its curriculum.
