莱基自贸区计划将于2022年全面投入运营。道路和交通条件差以及电力供应不足是尼日利亚现在面临的挑战，如果它们的状况能够得到改善，无疑将吸引到更多的外商直接投资
文｜布克拉·奥冈西纳（Bukola Ogunsina） 尼日利亚《领导者报》记者 翻译｜王晓波
近日尼日利亚莱基自由贸易区管委会已经在其媒体平台发布消息称，该自贸区计划将于2022年全面投入运营。到那时它将能协助尼日利亚政府减少失业，同时引进更多的外国直接投资。事实上，尼日利亚正在致力于实现经济多样化，而且去年的经济情况已经略有改善，因此该自贸区的建设正是恰逢其时。
基础设施建设进展
相关报告显示虽然园区内的经营活动尚未开始，但自贸区的建设正在顺利进行中。拉各斯州商业、工业和合作专员Rotimi Ogunleye先生在向媒体提供的报告中指出，对自贸区的投资预计需要约4.55万亿奈拉，它将成为拉各斯州政府的一个地标性工业项目。
2018年自贸区的目标是土壤调查、围栏、清淤和填砂；在基础设施建设方面将安装排水系统；公用事业开发方面将涉及到电力、水、电信系统及其它；港口也将由莱基自贸区的港口企业开始施工兴建。
该工业区2002年开始在莱基开工兴建。莱基是一个天然半岛城市，维多利亚岛和伊科伊地区位于其西部，半岛南部就是大西洋，北部紧邻拉各斯潟湖，东部则是莱基泻湖。它隶属于尼日利亚前首都拉各斯州。莱基因许多的地产项目、门控住宅和包括分配给自贸区的农田而闻名。它有一个机场和海港正在建设中。
从发布的报告中可以获悉，对半岛土地利用的总体规划是将其建设成为一个“蓝-绿相间的环境之城”和一个能够吸引国内外投资者的美丽海港。
2002年，超过215公顷的土地被购置并分配用于开发自贸区。莱基自贸区还有一个公司总部，负责管理它的开发。2012年，又有590多公顷的土地被购置，标志着自贸区二期的开始。在接下来的四年中，自贸区还将有大规模的发展，最终将在2022年实现全面运营。
根据拉各斯保税区公司对外发布的公告，位于拉各斯的这个自贸区将是尼日利亚第一个由私人所有的自由贸易区。该自贸区归莱基自由区开发公司所有，它是一家由中国企业、拉各斯政府和丹格特集团共同成立的合资公司。
在尼日利亚，保税区项目需要符合尼日利亚出口加工区法1992第63号法令和尼日利亚自由区的投资程序、条例和业务准则2004。莱基自贸区则还需要符合拉各斯保税区条例2016的规定。
该自贸区具有诸多特色，占地面积达到约805公顷，辖区内会有好几个工业区，它还将拥有港口和海上通道、粮食加工基地、物流、仓储、企业总部和住宅设施。货物经由这里可以通往西非地区所有的消费市场。
该自贸区距离莱基港非常近，并且也能与地区和国际线路相连接，因此战略地位非常优越。莱基港是一个深水港，设有集装箱、干散货和液体码头。它共有1500个码头，吃水深度达14米，占地面积90公顷。
它还能够起到集交通和基础设施优势于一体的枢纽作用，比如为大型船舶停泊的深水港、天然气供应专用通道和最先进的基础设施将全球前沿技术和发展趋势有效地结合在一起。
在区域连通方面，该自贸区所具备的道路网络能够加快货物的运输速度，不仅保证园区内交通便捷，而且能与外部的国家主要公路有效衔接。
投资热情
去年早些时候，莱基自贸区开发公司的董事长Abiodun Dabiri先生在针对媒体召开的记者招待会上透露，已经有更多的投资者对前来这一区域创办企业表现出了兴趣，这就使得去年自贸区的进展很有起色。
他还指出，考虑到会有大量的企业涌入自贸区，因此有必要拓宽道路网络。拉各斯州州长Akinwunmi Ambode也表示，为了加快自贸区的工程建设，作为对口资金的一部分，他的政府将与中方合作伙伴一起在接下来的六个月里投入6200万美元。
他说，“大体上，我们期望在接下来的六个月里我们能够对自贸区进行超过6000万美元的投资。”他还透露说，在过去几年里，莱基自贸区已经投入了60多亿美金，其中丹格特集团的投资占了最大的份额，达到了40亿美金。
在africachinapresscentre.org网站上，Ikenna Emewu先生发表了一份他实地参观自贸区的报告，他在报告中证实一些公司即将开始运营。
他在报告中说，“即将开工生产的是元龙钢铁公司，它为石油、天然气和水制造工业用管。该公司是此次参观过程中目睹到的已就绪的公司之一。已经具备开工能力的还有汽车装配厂，它负责装配依维柯汽车，参观时工厂的工人们正在组装汽车的零部件。”
他还说，“莱基自贸区现在已经有了一家医院即圣尼古拉斯医院以及娱乐设施、铺好的道路、路灯和十字路口的交通指示灯，所有这些都期望能在未来为尼日利亚打造出一个巨型的现代化城市。”
他的这份报告还披露，当完全投入运营时，丹格特集团在自贸区兴建的石化厂将成为非洲最大的化工厂，它及其附属相关生产企业能够直接、间接地为数千人提供就业机会。莱基自贸区自成立以来已经为上述项目投入了约1100亿奈拉。
对投资自贸区的热情是非常明显的。2014年在中国湖北省的宜昌为自贸区举办过一次招商引资会，11个宜昌的企业集体签署了投资两个项目的协议，投资总额达到1200万美金。这些协议所涉及的行业包括：食品、包装和建筑材料等。
2007年11月，莱基自贸区作为海外经贸合作区已经得到了中国商务部的批准。在自贸区内，中国的企业能够享受到优惠政策和尼日利亚政府提供的便捷的一站式服务。
从2016年开始，已经有40个企业开始了在自贸区的投资，它们中有37个是中国公司。这些企业已经雇用了5000名当地员工。
道路和交通条件差以及电力供应不足是尼日利亚现在面临的挑战，如果它们的状况能够得到改善，无疑将吸引到更多的外商直接投资。
中国与尼日利亚务实合作的典范
中国前驻尼日利亚大使顾小杰先生在他发表的文章《中国与尼日利亚关系的光明前景》中称，在经济方面，中国与尼日利亚在包括贸易和金融的众多领域展开了合作，并且取得了令人瞩目的成就。他这样写道，“许多项目，比如卫星发射、铁路建设以及莱基和奥贡自由贸易区的稳步发展，都是中国与尼日利亚务实合作典范，它们证明两国合作的前景充满希望。”
为了那些潜在投资者的利益，自贸区网站发布报告，披露了拉各斯保税区的突出特点，它们对于投资者来说都是极其难得的机遇。该报告称，“投资者们将保证得到尼日利亚政府提供的大量优惠政策和激励措施。”
尼日利亚工商局长Olusola Oworu也在报告中说，自贸区建成后，那里的港口将缓解阿帕帕港和廷坎岛港的压力，而且对莱基自贸区的经济活动大有裨益。
根据网站报告中政府提供的信息，自贸区的海港在建设过程中将创造10000多个直接或间接的就业机会，而当其建成并完全投入运营后，则会为16.9万多人提供工作。
2016年，在参观位于中国广东的总府工业区管理公司（该公司也管理着奥贡——广东自由贸易区）时，一个官员对公司能够为自贸区当地所创造的前景进行了展望。他说，“我们正在考虑它的未来。对于那里的学校我们已经提供了帮助。我们也与当地的社区进行了沟通，因为年青人是尼日利亚未来的希望，所以我们拟定了一个年青人发展规划。两、三个月前，自贸区举办了一个针对年青人的论坛，探讨他们在未来所能发挥的作用。我们有着同样的愿景，因为我们去那里不只是从事贸易，我们也非常想帮助当地的民众。”
在前面提到的峰会上和参观自贸区的过程中，尼日利亚和中国的相关官员都有参加。中国驻尼日利亚大使周平剑也出席了，他表态“尼日利亚制造”目标需要付出很大的努力才能实现，为此，“尼日利亚与中国制造”倡议将给予大力支持。周大使还指出，“中国真诚地愿意与尼日利亚分享其成功经验，并且为了尼日利亚早日实现工业化，中方将随时提供资金、技术和人材帮助。”（编辑：杨海霞）
Lekki Free Trade Zone and Trajectory to 2022
By Bukola Ogunsina, Journalist of the newspaper Leadership of Nigeria
Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) is presently set to be fully functionalby year 2022, the LFTZ organisation has noted on its media platform.The zone when fully functional will assist the Nigerian government in its alleviation of unemployment and usher in more Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs)to the country. This comes at a time when Nigeria works relentlessly to diversify its economy which saw a slight boost last year 2017.
Reports reveal the work is in progress, though full industrial activities have notcommenced in the zone. The Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Lagos State Mr RotimiOgunleye in a report revealed to the media that investment in the zone is estimated at about N4.55 trillion. The zone remains an industrial landmark, an industrial project for Lagos State Government.
The zone’s targets set for this year,2018 include; soil investigation, fencing, dredging and sandfilling of the land. In terms of infrastructural development there will be fixing of drainage systems. Utilities sourced for and developed will include power, water, telecommunication systems among others. The port will also commence construction by Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise.
The Free Trade Zone commenced in 2002 and is situated in Lekki, a natural peninsula city with Victoria Island to its West and IkoyiDistricts. On the south side of the peninsula is the Atlantic
Ocean, with Lagos Lagoon to the north and Lekki Lagoon to the east, inthe country’s former capital, Lagos State Nigeria. Lekkiis known to have many estates, gated residences, agricultural farmlands including the areas allocated for a Free Trade Zone. It has an air and sea port under construction.
Information gathered from reports made available underlined that the land use master plan for the Peninsula, anticipates what it calls a, ‘’Blue-Green Environment City,’ which will be an attractive haven for foreign and domestic investors.
In 2002, over 215 hectares was bought and allocated for development. The LFTZ also has a corporate headquarters which manages the zone’s development. In 2012, 590 more hectares were bought marking the start of what is tagged the ‘LFTZ phase two,’ of the project. Across the following four years, the zone will experience large scale development, already in progress resulting in it becoming fully operational by the year 2022.
In a report by the Lagos Free Trade Zone company (LFTZ) the Lagos FTZ is said to be the first private owned free trade zone in Nigeria. From information gathered the LFTZ is officially owned by the Lekki Free Zone Development Company, a joint venture between Chinese firms, the Lagos government and the Dangote Group.
The FTZ programme in Nigeria is governed by; the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Act 1992 Decree no. 63, the investment procedures, regulations and operational guideline for free zones in Nigeria 2004. LFTZ in particular is also governed by the Lagos free Trade zone regulation 2016.
Among the many features of the park, the property is about 805 hectares of land, several industrial zones within it to include; port & liquid terminal, food production, logistics, warehousing, corporate centre, residential amenities. It will provide access to a large consumer market all over West Africa.
The park is strategically located close to the Port at Lekki and is also linked to regional and international routes. Lekki port is a deep sea port with container, dry bulk and liquid terminals, 1500 quay, 14 m draught and constructed on 90 hectares of land.
It has an all in one hub converging transportation and infrastructural advantages such as a deep sea port with berthing for large vessels, dedicated natural gas supply, State of the art infrastructure, bringing together the best of technology and global trends.
In terms of regional connectivity the park has available networks to improve speed to market, effective internal roads network, external roads with links to key national highways.
Early last year, the Chairman of Lekki Free Zone Development Company, AbiodunDabiri, in a press release made available to the media, revealed while giving a progress report that more investors have demonstrated interest in coming to start-up businesses in the area, adding the zone has progressed with results in the last one year.
As a result, he revealed there was need for the road network to be expanded to house the anticipated influx. The Lagos State GovernorAkinwunmiAmbode on his part said his administration working in cooperation with Chinese partners will dedicate $62 million in the following six months as part of counterpart funding to quicken the ongoing development of the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ).
“In essence, we expect that in the next six months, we should be having an investment of over $60 million,” he said. He further revealed that over $6 billion has been invested in the LFTZ in the last few years, with Dangote Group providing a lion share of about $4 billion.
In a report by Mr IkennaEmewu, of africachinapresscentre.org,during a visit to the zone, reveals that some companies were already about to start production.
“On ground and almost ready to commence production is the Yuanlong Steel Company that makes industrial pipes for oil, gas and water. The company was one of the ready outfits visited during the facility tour. Also ready and functioning is the truck assembly plant that has ready Iveco trucks for the road and work was still on with factory workers coupling the trucks’ components during the visit,” he noted.
He also added that, “The LFTZ right now has a hospital, the St. Nicholas Hospital, recreation facilities, well paved roads and street lights with traffic lights at the junction all built in anticipation of a long term expectation of creating a mega modern city for the future of the economy of the state and Nigeria.”
The report disclosed that when fully operational, the petrochemical plant the Dangote Group plans to build there is intended to be the largest in Africa with capacity to create thousands of jobs directly and indirectly with the affiliated and allied production facilities.It is estimated that the volume of investment in the LFTZ since inception was about N110b in reference to the previous move.
The zeal for investments in the LFTZ is apparent when in 2014, at a promotion conference mainly for the zone in Yichang in Hubei Province, China, 11 Yichang enterprises signed agreements on two projects as a group with total investment worth 12 million USD, according to local media in China. The agreements include a variety of industries among which is;food, packaging and construction materials among others.
LTFZ has been approved by China’s Ministry of Commerce as the overseas cooperation zone for trade and economy in November, 2007. And again, within the zone, Chinese enterprises could enjoy preferential policies and convenient one-stop service issued by the Nigerian government, the reports have said. Also enterprises in the zone are exempt from taxes of the federation, states and local governments as well as custom duty. And exports to European markets could enjoy preferential tariffs and are quota free, according to reports by the General Office of Hubei Provincial Peoples Government Official Web portal.
As of 2016, 40 businesses, out of which 37 are Chinese owned, have commenced investments in the Free Trade Zone, and 5000 staff have been hired locally creating employment. Bad roads and transportation and lack of unsteady power supply were the usual challenges in Nigeria that if addressed would attract more Foreign Direct Investment into the country.
According to the former Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, H.EGuXiaojie, in his article,The Bright Prospects of China-Nigeria Relations, economically, the cooperation between China and Nigeria in various areas which include trade and finance among several others mentioned, has scored impressive achievements. “A large number of projects such as the launch of satellite, construction of railroad and the steady development of Lekki and Ogun free trade zones are the promising examples of China-Nigeria pragmatic cooperation,” he informed.
For the benefit of prospective investors to Nigeria, the FTZ site reveals that theoutstanding features of the Lagos Free Trade Zone makes it such a unique investment opportunity potential investors . “Our investors are guaranteed a host of preferential policies and incentives by the Government of Nigeria,” it revealed.
In a report, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Nigeria Olusola Oworu had said that when completed, the port would relieve pressure on the Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports and would also support business activities at the LFTZ.
According to government sources in an online report, the port would establish over 10,000 jobs directly and indirectly during construction and over 169,000 jobs created directly and indirectly consistent with when the port becomes fully functional.
In the year 2016, during a visit to Zongfu Industrial District Management Company in Guangdong, China which also manages the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone, an official NC Chan explained that LFTZ was launched by China Africa Lekki Investment Ltd (CALI). And together with two Nigerian partners namely, the Lagos State government and Lekki Worldwide Investment Ltd it proceeded to establish the LFTZ development Company to watch over the daily operation of LFTZ.
He further gave a general outlook on what the company has to offer the localities in which the zones are established. “We are talking about it. For schools we have put forward support. And also with our workers, we have discussed with the local communities, we have youth programmes as the youth are the future of Nigeria. So, two to three months ago, the FTZ established a forum for youth, and what their role is in the future. We want to have the same vision. We are not just there for the trade we want to assist the locals.”
At the aforementioned forum and tour of the LFTZ,the Nigerian and Chinese counterparts presented talks. The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pinjiangwho was present, disclosed that the ‘Made in Nigeria’ project will go a long way and the‘Made-in-Nigeria-with-China’ initiativecould support it. Ambassador Zhou had pointed out, “China hopes to sincerely share her experience with Nigeria and stands ready to provide capital, technology and personnel in support of Nigeria’s industrialisation.”
With the continuous work and efforts still in the pipeline, the LFTZ is working rigorously to meet the deadline for the commencement of operations in the year 2022.