Cargo operations at the Gateway International Airport are expected to commence within the next 30 to 45 days, with the first cargo aircraft from Europe projected to land at the facility, according to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.

The governor disclosed this during an on-the-spot assessment of the Industrial Platform, Remo Free Trade Zone, located along the Sagamu–Ijebu-Ode Expressway. The zone, positioned between Iperu and Ilishan, serves as Ogun State’s Special Agro-Processing Zone initiative aimed at accelerating agro-industrial development and expanding export capacity.

Abiodun revealed that the access road linking the Sagamu–Benin Expressway directly to the airport would soon be opened, describing it as a strategic infrastructure component built in line with global aviation standards.

“In line with global best practices, an airport road cannot be winding or meandering; it must run straight from the main highway to the airport,” he said, noting that the newly constructed road also passes through the processing zone, providing visibility into ongoing industrial activities.

The governor explained that the concept for the agro-processing zone was introduced to his administration by the African Development Bank during the latter phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and was subsequently developed into what is now known as the Industrial Platform.

He expressed confidence that the first processing company within the zone would be commissioned within months, adding that multiple firms have already begun constructing facilities. During the inspection, he toured a 6,800-square-metre warehouse currently under construction and commended the rapid pace of development.

According to Abiodun, the free trade zone has been intentionally designed as an integrated ecosystem where agricultural production and processing operate within a shared framework to improve efficiency, boost value addition and enhance competitiveness.

The zone is expected to feature dedicated power supply, structured waste management systems, independent administrative operations and a robust security architecture. The governor further disclosed that it would host what he described as the world’s largest cotton garment processing factory — a development projected to significantly expand employment opportunities and industrial output in the state.

He likened the Special Agro-Processing Zone to a “shopping mall of processing companies,” where raw agricultural produce is transformed into finished goods within a coordinated industrial environment.

Ogun State’s collaboration with a firm experienced in delivering similar projects in Benin Republic, Lomé and Côte d’Ivoire — under what he termed the Ogun State–Arise partnership — has been instrumental in driving the project’s execution.

Governor Abiodun also acknowledged the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Industry, emphasizing that coherent macroeconomic policies create the enabling environment for transformative investments.

With cargo flights imminent and industrial tenants scaling up construction, the Remo Industrial Platform is positioning Ogun State as a strategic agro-processing and export gateway — a move expected to deepen industrialization, generate employment and strengthen the state’s economic competitiveness.