Nigeria’s free trade zones have attracted more than $200bn in foreign investment and over N900bn in domestic investment, the Federal Government has said.

The investments have also generated more than 100,000 direct jobs and over 500,000 additional jobs across supply chains, logistics networks and host communities, according to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole.

Oduwole disclosed this during a virtual meeting of Special Economic Zones stakeholders in September as the Federal Government moves to modernise the regulatory framework governing the zones.

She said the reforms were designed to strengthen the role of the zones in attracting investment, expanding production and increasing Nigeria’s non-oil exports.

FG Moves To Recognise Digital Free Zones

Oduwole said the government was revising the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority regulations to reflect changes in business models and investment, including digital operations.

She said the revised framework would recognise Digital Free Zones and Digital Special Economic Zones while providing for technology-enabled businesses that may not require conventional physical locations.

“The Revised NEPZA Regulations and Operational Guidelines create, for the first time in Nigeria, Digital Free Zones and Digital Special Economic Zones – zones that operate on a platform rather than a perimeter, with no requirement of physical presence,” she said.

The proposed framework would also modernise corporate and registry provisions, strengthen dispute-resolution mechanisms and introduce new licence categories.

One of the proposed categories is an Innovator Licence for enterprises operating in areas where regulatory frameworks are still developing.

The minister added that reporting and fee structures would be adjusted to reflect how digital businesses generate revenue.

FG Targets Free Zone Diversion

Oduwole said the government had identified the diversion of goods produced in free zones into the Nigerian Customs Territory while retaining fiscal incentives intended for export-oriented activities as a major concern.

She said the revised framework would reinforce the export orientation of the scheme by clarifying the existing 75 per cent export and 25 per cent domestic-sales structure.

Domestic sales would also be aligned with applicable Nigerian tax laws, she said.

The reforms are expected to clarify the responsibilities of agencies involved in the administration of the zones.

Under the proposed arrangement, NEPZA and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority would retain responsibility for licensing and operational oversight.

The Nigeria Revenue Service would remain responsible for tax administration, while the Nigeria Customs Service would handle customs control, valuation, classification and enforcement.

Operators Seek Protection For Existing Investments

The Executive Secretary of NEPZA, Toyin Elegbede, said operators welcomed the proposed reforms but urged the government to protect businesses that had already invested under the existing regulatory framework.

“Our members recognise the need for a strong, transparent and well-regulated Special Economic Zones regime, and we welcome the opportunity to engage the government before the framework is finalised,” Elegbede said.

He said operators wanted the reforms to address genuine gaps without creating additional uncertainty for businesses that had made investments based on existing regulations.

Elegbede added that stakeholders wanted a competitive free zones ecosystem capable of attracting investment, protecting legitimate businesses and increasing production and exports.

The Chairman of NEPZA, Hadi Mutallab, similarly urged the government to ensure that the transition to the new framework did not undermine existing investments.

“The reform of Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones is necessary to strengthen the integrity of the scheme and ensure that the incentives provided deliver the investment, production, jobs and exports for which they were intended,” Mutallab said.

He also called for a clear and predictable transition process for existing operators.

FG Links Reforms To $1tn Economy Target

Oduwole said the government would continue to support lawful incentives that serve the purpose of the free zones while demanding compliance from operators.

She said the broader objective was to position the zones as engines of non-oil export growth and contribute to President Bola Tinubu’s target of building a $1tn Nigerian economy by 2030.

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Workers of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), under the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), have protested in Abuja over proposed changes to the regulations governing free zones in Nigeria.

The workers described the process as a “backdoor” attempt to alter the regulatory framework without adequate participation from NEPZA, the agency legally responsible for licensing, monitoring and regulating free-zone activities.

They called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and ensure that any review of the regulations involves NEPZA, its unions, management and other relevant stakeholders.

NEPZA Workers Raise Concern Over 28-Page Document

Speaking during the protest, ASCSN Chairperson of the NEPZA chapter, Comrade Amaka Ugwu, said the workers were opposing what they considered an attempt to undermine the agency’s statutory mandate.

Ugwu said NEPZA was established under the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Act 63 of 1992 and is responsible for regulating free-zone activities in Nigeria.

She alleged that a ministerial committee had spent about six months reviewing the regulations without adequately involving NEPZA.

According to her, the controversy centres on a proposed 28-page document containing changes to the regulations and guidelines governing free zones.

Ugwu alleged that NEPZA only became aware of the document after it had been completed and forwarded to the Ministry of Justice for gazetting.

She said the document was later returned to NEPZA, after which the agency was allegedly given only two days to participate in a consolidation exercise.

“What they are doing is not asking for NEPZA’s opinion. They are merely asking NEPZA to append its signature to something that has already been concluded,” Ugwu said.

Workers Demand Fresh Review

The ASCSN chairperson called for the current process to be suspended and restarted through a broader committee.

She said the committee should include NEPZA, its unions and management, as well as other stakeholders involved in the free-zone scheme.

“What we want as an agency is very simple. The Honourable Minister should go back to the drawing board and constitute a proper committee,” she said.

Ugwu warned that changes to incentives available to businesses operating within free zones could affect the attractiveness of the scheme.

She argued that weakening the incentives could discourage businesses from operating within the zones and potentially affect employment and investment.

“If the incentives and benefits that are supposed to come with operating in a free zone are removed, what is the sense of coming into the free zone? You might as well operate in the customs territory,” she said.

Workers Link Reform to Jobs and Investment

Ugwu said the dispute was not only about NEPZA as an institution but also about businesses, workers, investment and Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts.

She said free zones were established to attract investment, create employment and promote non-oil economic activities.

The workers also expressed concern that changes made without adequate stakeholder participation could weaken NEPZA’s mandate and create uncertainty over job security.

“We are calling on the Federal Government, particularly Mr President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to intervene,” Ugwu said.

She added that political appointees could change, but NEPZA and its statutory responsibilities would remain.

Federal Government Gives Different Account of Reform Process

The Federal Government has separately said its review of the economic free-zone framework is intended to restore the export orientation of the zones, address concerns around domestic sales and provide greater certainty for investors.

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment said the reform process began in February 2026 with the inauguration of a Special Economic Zones Legislative and Regulatory Reform Committee.

According to the ministry, NEPZA and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, alongside their respective teams, were included in the committee.

The government has said the reforms are intended to provide greater clarity around the legal and fiscal framework while preserving the incentives designed to attract investment into the zones.

The workers said they would continue their protest until their concerns were addressed.

“Until we achieve our objective. Until we get the desired result,” Ugwu said when asked how long the protest would continue.

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The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has appealed to the federal government to grant all operators within Special Economic Zones (SEZs) a 10-year tax exemption, aiming to give businesses sufficient time to adjust to Nigeria’s new tax regulations.

The call was made during a virtual stakeholder dialogue hosted by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment in Abuja, as the Authority highlighted ongoing concerns from SEZ operators at both local and international platforms. NEPZA warned that failure to address these issues could negatively affect Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into the zones.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPZA, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, represented by Mrs. Haleema Sani Kamba, Director of Corporate Services, emphasized that tax reprieves are central to the success of the SEZ scheme. He said the measure would ensure stability, predictability, and seamless integration with the local business environment.

“The Managing Director has instructed me to formally request a sunset period of approximately 10 years for all SEZ investors,” Mrs. Kamba stated. “This period will allow operators to adjust operations while ensuring the scheme remains attractive to investors. We hope the Federal Inland Revenue Service will consider this appeal for the benefit of the sector.”

NEPZA reaffirmed its alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the SEZ framework is crucial to driving industrialization and sustainable economic growth in Nigeria. The Authority oversees 63 Free Trade Zones and more than 700 enterprises, which continue to form the backbone of Nigeria’s industrial and export strategy.

Dr. Ogunyemi added that maintaining global-standard incentives is vital to attracting and retaining investors, ensuring that SEZs operate efficiently while contributing to national development.

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