The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, Hon. Ahmed Munir has reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s export capacity following a two-day working visit to the Kano Free Trade Zone and other industrial complexes in the State.
The unannounced visit was aimed at observing the natural order of operations, gauging service delivery, and assessing the zone’s contributions to Nigeria’s industrialisation and export promotion agenda.
Hon. Munir, who is also the lawmaker representing Lere constituency of Kaduna State at the House of Representatives, in the National Assembly disclosed that the inspection provided firsthand insights into the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of the facility, as well as interactions with key industrial stakeholders.
Established in 1992 under the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) Act, the Kano Free Trade Zone was designed to boost manufacturing, agro-processing, and export-driven industries in northern Nigeria.
The House Committee Chairman, who arrived in Kano as part of a broader industrial tour, was received by the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, at the Government House, where both leaders held strategic discussions on attracting foreign direct investment in power, mining, and agriculture, with a focus on value addition and job creation.
Hon. Munir emphasised the need to forge closer collaboration between the Federal and State Governments to make Kano more competitive in regional and continental trade, especially under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
During his tour of various industrial complexes, Hon. Munir used the opportunity to create awareness among manufacturers and exporters about new trade and export-friendly policies introduced by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in collaboration with the National Assembly, these policies, he explained, include tax incentives, low-interest export financing, and trade facilitation measures aimed at making Nigerian products more competitive in international markets.
He recommended a holistic revitalisation of the Kano Free Trade Zone to reposition it as a leading driver of Nigeria’s export diversification efforts, which included urgent investment in independent power generation to guarantee stable electricity, rehabilitation of internal roads, creating a reliable rail system, getting the AKK Gas Pipeline on stream, enhancement of warehousing facilities to ease logistics, and ensure sustained policy consistency to restore investors confidence.
The lawmaker also called for public-private partnerships to attract modern technology and capital inflow, stressing that Kano’s historical advantage as a commercial hub should be fully harnessed.
“Kano has the location, history, and manpower to lead Nigeria’s export diversification agenda. With the right investments and reforms, this zone can reclaim its position as a major gateway for West African trade,” Hon. Munir stated, assuring that the National Assembly would continue to provide legislative backing to policies that encourage industrial growth and expand the country’s non-oil revenue base.