Nigeria’s oil and gas free zones are expanding beyond their traditional role as investment destinations. They are becoming strategic centres for energy security, maritime services, industrial production and export growth.
Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority – OGFZA stated this at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of OGFZA, Bamanga Usman Jada, said the location of many regulated zones along Nigeria’s coastal corridors places them at the centre of the country’s blue economy development.
Jada was represented at the conference by his Technical Adviser on Free Zones Development, Iniobong Jackson.
According to him, OGFZA-regulated zones now support international trade, offshore operations, marine logistics, fabrication, vessel maintenance and export-oriented manufacturing. These activities also attract foreign and domestic investments, create jobs and promote technology transfer.
He identified the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone in Rivers State as a major operational base for multinational maritime and energy companies. The zone also hosts one of Nigeria’s busiest seaports.
Jada also highlighted the Bestaf Maritime Industrial Oil and Gas Free Zone in Lagos, which houses an indigenous lubricant-blending plant with an annual production capacity of 240 million litres.
The Dangote Industries Oil and Gas Free Zone in Lekki represents another significant indigenous investment. The zone hosts the Dangote Refinery, described at the conference as Africa’s largest refinery, with a production capacity of 700,000 barrels per day.
Jada said these investments have strengthened the contribution of free zones to Nigeria’s energy exports, maritime infrastructure and industrial capacity.
He added that OGFZA’s One-Stop-Shop model simplifies licensing and Customs procedures while improving coordination among relevant government agencies. The approach has helped reduce delays and improve the operating environment for investors.
OGFZA also regulates the Secured Bunkering Anchorage, an offshore facility that supports safe maritime operations and energy exports.
The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to cleaner technologies, responsible industrial practices and efficient resource use. It said these measures would help position Special Economic Zones as sustainable platforms for economic diversification, investment and employment creation.
