Education stakeholders and community leaders in Igbesa, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, have praised the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ) for 15 years of sustained investment in education, according to Punch Newspapers. The applause came through a statement issued on Saturday, November 1, 2026, by the zone's Public Relations Manager, Mr Tope Anthony.
From scholarships to school infrastructure, the zone's interventions are changing the story for children in its host communities. And the people of Igbesa are saying it loud: keep it coming.
What OGFTZ Has Done for Igbesa's Children
The stakeholders highlighted three pillars of the zone's education drive: the China-Nigeria Friendship Model School, scholarship opportunities for deserving students, and a steady calendar of academic, sporting and extracurricular programmes. They urged the management to expand the interventions so more young people can benefit.
The Head of Academics and School Services at the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Education Authority, Mr Joseph Ibikunle, described OGFTZ's 15-year investment in education as remarkable and deserving of recognition.
“The organisation has consistently demonstrated its commitment to improving education through support for school infrastructure, the provision of learning materials and scholarship opportunities for deserving students,” Ibikunle said.
He added that the interventions had created a more conducive learning environment and opened educational opportunities for children across the host communities, and he encouraged the zone to sustain and strengthen the support.
China-Nigeria Friendship Model School: A Community Asset
The Otunba Amona of Igbesa, High Chief Ezekiel Durojaiye, called the establishment of the model school one of the most remarkable legacies of OGFTZ in the community. He said the zone's presence and the school had strengthened Igbesa's association with China, so much so that residents and visitors sometimes jokingly describe the town as “China in Nigeria.”
The traditional chief recalled discussions about the school's development during the visit of the Chinese Consul-General, and he expressed optimism that the institution could expand its academic programmes beyond the primary level.
Scholarships That Travel: From Igbesa to China
Chief Ajidagba Jamiu, family head of Ilu Idofin in Igbesa, spoke of benefits his own household has felt. Four of his children attended the China-Nigeria Friendship School, which he described as a valuable educational opportunity for families in the area.
He went further: some indigenes of Igbesa have studied in China on OGFTZ scholarships, completed their academic programmes and secured employment in their professional fields. That is the full cycle, from classroom to career, powered by a partnership working for ordinary Nigerians.
Jamiu called for an expansion of the scholarship scheme, saying broader access would equip more young people with the knowledge, skills and qualifications needed to contribute meaningfully to community and national development.
Youth Development Beyond the Classroom
The Chairman of the Igbesa Educational Committee, Alhaji Saheed Animashaun, commended the OGFTZ partnership for its consistent educational and youth development initiatives over the past three years. According to him, hardly a year passes without the organisation implementing at least one programme for young learners.
He pointed to the annual Children's Day celebrations, which bring together pupils from primary and secondary schools, as one way the zone recognises and encourages children. The interventions also include academic, sporting and cultural competitions aimed at identifying and nurturing young talents.
A Wider Development Footprint in Ogun
The education push is part of a broader engagement with host communities. According to Daily Post Nigeria, Mr Tope Anthony said the zone's corporate interventions include education, healthcare, road infrastructure, water supply and youth empowerment, while its industrial activities support employment and demand for local services.
Similarly, The Eagle Online reported that NEPZA, the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, reaffirmed its commitment to Ogun host communities through development projects spanning education, healthcare, infrastructure, youth empowerment and agriculture.
This is what South-South cooperation looks like when it is done right: a free trade zone that does not just extract, but builds. For a panafrican audience tired of one-sided deals, Igbesa offers a model worth studying, and worth demanding elsewhere.
FAQ
What is the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone?
It is a free trade zone in Igbesa, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, operated in partnership between Nigeria and China's Guangdong Province, hosting industrial activities alongside community development programmes.
Which school did OGFTZ establish in Igbesa?
The China-Nigeria Friendship Model School, described by community leaders as one of the zone's most remarkable legacies in the area.
How long has OGFTZ invested in education in Ogun State?
According to Mr Joseph Ibikunle of the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Education Authority, the zone has invested in education for 15 years.
Have Igbesa indigenes studied in China through OGFTZ?
Yes. Chief Ajidagba Jamiu said some indigenes received OGFTZ scholarships to study in China, completed their programmes and secured jobs in their professional fields.