Kwara as Nigeria’s new investment frontier

By Bashir Adigun

In the heart of Nigeria’s North Central region lies Kwara State, a once-quiet

corner of the country now emerging as a beacon of sustainable development and investment potential under the visionary leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

For decades, Kwara remained an underexplored territory in the eyes of investors, often overshadowed by Nigeria’s commercial giants like Lagos and Ogun States. But over the past six years, a sweeping transformation has repositioned the state as a dynamic hub for education, infrastructure, industrial growth, and human capital development—setting the stage for global partnerships and foreign direct investment.

Speaking on the vision behind this transformation, Governor AbdulRazaq said:

“Our goal is to build a Kwara that works for everyone—where institutions function, investments thrive, and our people live with dignity. We are creating an enabling environment defined by peace, opportunity, and prosperity.”

When Governor AbdulRazaq assumed office in 2019, he faced a daunting legacy of decaying infrastructure and institutional neglect. Undeterred, he launched a bold reform agenda, starting with the education sector. His administration unlocked long-abandoned funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and undertook a massive rehabilitation of public schools. This singular move catalyzed a silent revolution in the sector.

One standout initiative is KwaraLEARN, a tech-driven smart school programme that provides digital learning tools to pupils across the state. Today, Kwara students are not just catching up—they are excelling, clinching awards in national and international competitions.

At the tertiary level, the establishment of the Kwara State University of Education is filling the critical gap in teacher education, while institutions such as Kwara State Polytechnic, Kwara State University, and College of Aviation Studies have witnessed upgrades in facilities and academic quality. These institutions now serve as incubators for a growing, educated workforce—an attractive proposition for investors in sectors like ICT, logistics, and service industries.

Kwara’s strides in health earned it back-to-back national awards for the Best Primary Healthcare System in Nigeria. Dozens of rural and urban health centers have been renovated and re-equipped, while the government’s mass recruitment of medical personnel has boosted service delivery and health outcomes.

In a strategic move to strengthen healthcare education and delivery, the state government has also equipped two major public hospitals—the Sobi Specialist Hospital in Ilorin and the General Hospital in Omu-Aran—to serve as teaching hospitals for two private universities: Al-Hikma University and Thomas Adewumi University. This initiative not only expands access to clinical training for medical students but also enhances tertiary-level healthcare services across the state.

Additionally, a new oncological facility is being established in Kwara to provide advanced treatment for cancer patients. This specialized center, supported by the Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative (ASR Africa), underscores the partnership between the public sector and leading private investors. ASR Africa, founded by the BUA Group, is also behind the multi-billion naira sugar factory located in the northern part of the state—further deepening the conglomerate’s social and economic footprint in Kwara.

The Kwara Social Investment Programme has further deepened social protection by offering direct support to small-scale traders, women entrepreneurs, and the elderly—injecting liquidity into the grassroots economy and ensuring inclusive growth. These human capital investments are not only alleviating poverty but creating a healthier, more productive population that can drive industrial growth and consumer demand.

In its quest to create a thriving business climate, the AbdulRazaq administration has retrained civil servants to align with Ease of Doing Business protocols—removing bureaucratic bottlenecks and reducing red tape that traditionally hindered investors. These reforms have made regulatory processes more transparent and efficient, earning praise from both local and foreign business communities.

A key driver of this transformation is the unprecedented investment in road infrastructure. Over 270 kilometers of rural roads are currently under construction under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), opening up farmlands, enhancing market access, and unlocking rural economies for investors.

The project is not only bridging the urban-rural divide but also helping stem rural-urban migration by creating new centers of opportunity in the hinterland. In the same vein, the state government is also working on strategic highways such as the Kosubosu–Kaiama–Baruten road, which will enhance access to the West African trade corridor.

In a forward-thinking collaboration between the government and the private sector, BUA Group—one of Nigeria’s leading industrial conglomerates—is constructing a major road as part of a tax concession agreement with the Kwara State Government. This innovative model of infrastructure financing underscores Kwara’s commitment to creating a mutually beneficial business ecosystem.

The administration is also laying the foundation for a Smart City—a visionary project that will cater to the lifestyle, mobility, and technological needs of digital natives. Designed with climate resilience, connectivity, and modern urban planning in mind, the Smart City will redefine how people live, work, and innovate in the state.

The state capital, Ilorin, is undergoing a sweeping urban renewal that is transforming its geographical landscape into a hub of aesthetic and economic vitality. With new boulevards, green spaces, modern bridges, and rehabilitated neighborhoods, the capital city is fast becoming a tourist attraction of international repute.

Security remains paramount. Despite sharing in the national burden of insecurity due to its central location as a transit route between Nigeria’s North and South, Kwara stands out for its relative peace and safety. All 193 wards of the state remain open to round-the-clock commercial activity, with robust security ensured by responsive and patriotic agencies. This environment of stability is one of Kwara’s greatest assets for investors.

Governor AbdulRazaq’s administration is equally committed to equity and inclusion. Kwara is leading the nation in gender representation, with a landmark law mandating 35% of political appointments are reserved for women.

The youth are also central to the administration’s plans, actively involved in governance, innovation, and enterprise.

Kwara has prioritized agricultural transformation. Local farmers have benefited from government-backed support through subsidized implements, seedlings, free fertilizer, and crop-protection chemicals. In a bid to attract large-scale investment, the state welcomes commercial farmers seeking land for mechanized farming and agribusiness expansion.

The creation of a new Ministry of Livestock Development signals a strategic shift toward modern ranching and dairy farming. The government has already acquired 3,624 hectares of land for ranching and pasture development—a forward-looking move in addressing food security and reducing conflict between herders and farmers.

The L-PRES Project (Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project), supported by the state, is training local farmers in feed production and sustainable livestock practices. These efforts are aimed at encouraging ranching as a long-term solution to recurring farmer-herder clashes, while creating jobs and enhancing protein security.

Governor AbdulRazaq’s administration is laying the groundwork for an industrial take-off. The launch of a garment factory, a shea butter processing facility, and ongoing work on industrial parks signal the state’s readiness for agro-processing and light manufacturing—two sectors poised to thrive given Kwara’s rich agricultural base.

The industrial park in Eiyenkorin offers the best opportunity for investors ready to commence production, thanks to the infrastructure and utilities already in place. More industrial parks are underway in both the southern and northern zones of the state, affirming a clear vision for balanced economic development.

In a bold leap into the digital economy, the administration established the Ilorin Innovation Hub—a purpose-built tech campus for startups, coders, and digital creatives. The hub has already attracted key global players:

IHS Towers, a multinational telecom infrastructure giant, is in a strategic partnership with the state to support infrastructure and talent development.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has acquired a workspace in the hub, underscoring global confidence in the state’s innovation roadmap.

The hub is designed to prepare young Nigerians for globally competitive digital employment, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and high-demand tech skills. Startups operating from the hub are building solutions in fintech, health tech, and logistics, with many poised to scale across West Africa.

In parallel, Kwara is making bold moves in Nigeria’s multi-billion-dollar film industry with the Sugar Factory Film Studio—a state-of-the-art production facility that serves as a launchpad for emerging filmmakers, scriptwriters, and post-production talent. Along with the Visual Arts Centre, it anchors a growing creative economy full of export potential and job opportunities.

While film production gains momentum, the revamped Kwara Hotel and the nearly completed International Conference Centre are designed to position the state as a premier destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE).

Kwara’s central geographic position—bordering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Niger and Kogi states and connects northern and western Nigeria—offers significant logistical advantages. But even more compelling is the state’s unique selling point: peace and political stability.

Governor AbdulRazaq’s policy of “politics without bitterness” has maintained social harmony and minimized political tension—an increasingly rare commodity in today’s Nigeria and a critical consideration for international investors.

Kwara is not just rising—it is ready. With a young, energetic population, investor-friendly reforms, strategic infrastructure, and visionary leadership, the state presents an open invitation to local and international investors seeking a scalable growth market in West Africa.

Whether in education technology, agro-processing, healthcare, digital innovation, livestock development, light manufacturing, or tourism, Kwara offers a robust and transparent environment supported by capable institutions and community goodwill.

As the International Conference Centre prepares to host its first global events, it marks more than a ribbon-cutting moment—it announces Kwara’s arrival on the world stage.

This is more than a local success story; it is a model of sub-national transformation in Africa. Kwara is open for business. For discerning investors, now is the time to take notice.

Adigun is the Special Adviser on Media to the Kwara State Governor.

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