By Simeon OSAJIE
Edo State is advancing into a new phase of industrial and economic growth as the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo deepens efforts to build an investment-friendly environment anchored on security, infrastructure and reliable electricity supply.
At Ologbo in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, the ongoing 100-megawatt power project and industrial park being developed by CCETC are emerging as central elements of the administration’s strategy to strengthen the state’s productive economy.
The project, formally launched in February 2026, comprises a 100MW natural-gas-powered electricity generation facility and an industrial park.
The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation described the development as part of efforts to promote manufacturing, employment and sustainable economic growth in Edo, while the state government has presented it as a major step toward energy security and industrial expansion.
Project Coordinator, CCETC, Jiang Fan, said the company was working closely with the state government to deliver the facility, noting that significant progress had already been recorded.
“I am in charge of this project and this is our 100 megawatts of power generation and also an industrial park,” Fan said.
He explained that most of the generating equipment had arrived and installation was substantially advanced.
He said the technology uses natural gas, with individual generating units rated at 2.3MW, while the overall target is 100MW.
According to Fan, the company has completed substantial preparatory works, with about 90 per cent of the foundation work completed and roughly half of the overall work plan accomplished.
He also disclosed that the project had secured the necessary generation and distribution licences, describing the remaining work as part of the final preparations required before electricity generation and distribution commence.
Fan said the distribution arrangement covers six local government areas with the possibility of expansion to other parts of the state.
He stressed that reliable electricity would have a direct economic impact, particularly by making Edo more attractive to businesses and investors.
“This is meaningful to businesses and investors in the state,” he said, adding that the industrial park and existing investments around the project area could generate additional opportunities for investment and employment.
The project is also expected to deepen local economic participation. Wann said construction activities were already providing jobs for local workers, while the anticipated expansion of the industrial park would create additional employment opportunities for residents.
“With a lot of investment and our industrial park started, more opportunities will be available for the local indigenes to work,” he said.
For Governor Okpebholo, the power project forms part of a wider economic strategy built around creating an enabling environment for private investment.
The arrangement was presented as a means of ensuring that Edo participates directly in the long-term economic benefits of strategic infrastructure investments.
Residents of Ologbo also expressed optimism about the project’s potential impact.
A local laundry operator, Mr. Imowo Iyip, described the development as “a welcome development,” recalling years of electricity challenges in the community.
Pastor Friday Johnson, who said he had lived in the area for more than two decades, similarly recalled periods when residents depended heavily on generators and said recent improvements had brought relief.
Another resident, Mr. Udok Uwen, described the project as “a very good development” for Ologbo and neighbouring communities.
With security, roads, infrastructure and energy increasingly placed at the centre of Edo’s investment strategy, the administration’s economic agenda is taking shape around a simple proposition: an environment where businesses can operate, industries can access power, investors can commit capital and residents can find jobs.
As the project moves toward completion, the emerging industrial landscape at Ologbo offers another indication of Edo’s ambition to turn infrastructure investment into a broader platform for production, employment and sustained economic growth.