By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
Lokoja, October 30, 2026
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, FCA, has described the continued building of the Lokoja International Ultramodern Market as a strategic funding that may remodel business actions, create employment alternatives and strengthen financial connections between Northern and Southern Nigeria.
Governor Ododo said this on Friday throughout an inspection tour of the venture in Lokoja, the place he expressed satisfaction with the standard, pace and degree of building, whereas commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting infrastructure growth throughout the states. He described the President as a working chief confronting the financial challenges inherited by his administration.
The Governor challenged critics of the Federal Government to go to Kogi State and witness ongoing tasks, insisting that the affect of President Tinubu’s assist for subnational growth was seen. “This is not AI. You can see the machines working and human beings working. This is real. This is Kogi State, and this is Mr President,” he declared.
Explaining the strategic significance of the venture, Ododo stated Kogi’s geographical place as a connecting level between the North and South made Lokoja appropriate for a world market. He famous that merchants travelling from both area would have alternatives to cease over, alternate commodities, set up enterprise relationships and discover funding alternatives, including that the ability was designed to serve Nigeria and past.
The Governor defined that the choice to assemble a brand new market was knowledgeable by the necessity to present a safer and extra organised business surroundings, as the present market location had grow to be insufficient and uncovered residents and merchants to highway accidents. He assured that the long run use of the previous market can be decided via consultations with related stakeholders after completion of the brand new facility.
Ododo additionally recommended the indigenous contractor for participating native experience and offering employment for younger folks. He noticed that the variety of staff and tools deployed to the location demonstrated the venture’s contribution to decreasing unemployment and selling native content material. He additional assured the contractor that the state authorities would meet its monetary obligations to maintain the tempo of building.
Earlier, the Project Supervisor of SABC Construction Limited, Engr Lamidi Lasisi, assured the Governor and the folks of Kogi State of the corporate’s dedication to delivering the venture throughout the agreed timeline. He disclosed that the market would function warehouses, a clinic, a financial institution, a fireplace station, loading and offloading services, market halls and different important constructions designed to accommodate future business calls for.
Engr. Lasisi disclosed that the venture was scheduled for completion by June, expressing confidence within the firm’s capability to meet the deadline.
