- Governor credits Tinubu’s industrial-friendly policies, as Godec Power’s Confluence Lube factory creates hundreds of jobs along Ganaja-Ajaokuta Expressway
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating an enabling environment for industrialisation and private-sector investment, saying Nigeria is gradually regaining its glory. He spoke while commissioning the Confluence Lube world-class lubricant blending and packaging factory along the Ganaja-Ajaokuta Expressway in Kogi State.
The facility, owned by Godec Power Nigeria Limited, was described by the governor as a significant contribution to the state’s industrialisation drive, job creation and economic prosperity. Ododo said the project reflected growing confidence in Kogi’s economic potential. He argued that the state could only realise that potential fully when investors committed their resources to productive ventures that create employment and add value to the local economy.
The governor also praised Chief Okechukwu Obika, Vice President of the Igbo Community in Kogi State and Managing Director and Chairman of Godec Power Nigeria Limited, for investing in a plant that produces engine oils and plastic containers and provides jobs for hundreds of Kogites. He stressed that his administration welcomed investors willing to process resources locally, rather than take raw materials out of the state without corresponding benefits for its people.
Reaffirming his commitment to building a private sector capable of employing far more people than the public sector, Ododo announced a three-year waiver on selected annual state levies to encourage business growth. The waiver covers the Land Use Charge, Environmental Levy, Business Premises Annual Renewal, Fire Service Levy and Economic Development Levy. He assured investors of continued government support and said Kogi had the strategic location, resources and human capacity to become a major industrial hub in Nigeria.
In his welcome address, Obika said Godec Power was established in 2001 as an electricity trading business and has since diversified into several sectors. These include cargo tricycle assembly and distribution, lubricant production, plastic recycling, plastic container manufacturing, industrial tools and agricultural processing equipment.
He explained that the Confluence Lube facility currently produces engine oils for petrol and diesel engines, transmission oils and plastic containers. The company plans to add hydraulic oil, brake fluid, transformer oil and grease to its product line.
On employment, Obika disclosed that the company has already created 100 direct jobs and more than 200 indirect jobs. He said that once the plant reaches full operational capacity, those figures could rise to over 300 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs.
Also at the event, the Kogi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Muhammed Muktar Shuaibu, said the state government was committed to working with investors and communities across Kogi to promote economic development. He stressed the importance of cooperation and inclusion, noting that the administration was determined to work with people from different backgrounds and communities to advance the state’s collective prosperity.
