With Steve Otaloro
In recent days, a misleading article has been making the rounds on social media, attempting to discredit the bold industrial vision of the Ondo State Government under Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. The piece, cloaked in the guise of “investigative journalism,” alleges that the proposed $50 billion Sunshine Free Trade Zone and Refinery project is a scam. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
As someone who understands both the challenges of subnational development and the painstaking process of attracting genuine investors into a state economy, I find such a poorly researched and emotionally driven report deeply regrettable. The write-up demonstrates neither journalistic balance nor economic understanding; rather, it reveals a deliberate effort to cast doubts on a transformative project simply because of personal or political bias.
Let’s begin with the most critical fact conveniently ignored by the so-called investigator: Ondo State Government is not committing a single naira of public funds to this project.
The Sunshine Free Trade Zone and Refinery project is a private-sector–driven initiative. The state government’s only contribution is land; a rational and minimal equity consideration that any responsible government would offer to attract such large-scale investment. No part of the state’s treasury is being expended, no loans are being taken, and no guarantees are being offered in the name of the people.
So, on what basis is the author crying wolf? Whose money is being risked here? That of taxpayers or private investors? Clearly, the answer is obvious to any objective observer.Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration has remained steadfast in its mission to transform Ondo State into a hub of industrial productivity. The proposed refinery and Free Trade Zone are strategic anchors meant to unlock the state’s coastal advantage, create jobs and attract global investment.
The world over, governments do not run away from ambitious projects because investors are “new” or because their corporate structures are “recently incorporated.” Every successful global enterprise today from Dangote Refinery to Tesla began with a vision, a newly formed corporate vehicle and investors willing to take calculated risks.
What matters most is not the age of the investing company, but its financial capacity, technical partners, and the credibility of its proposal. The Ondo State Government, through its due process institutions, has satisfied itself that the consortium has the requisite means to undertake the project.
The so-called exposé, while pretentiously verbose, fails the most basic test of journalism balance. The author made no attempt to reach out to the Ondo State Government or the investors for clarification before rushing to conclusions. Instead, he relied on cursory searches of online company registries and built a grand conspiracy out of incomplete information.
This is not investigative journalism; it is intellectual laziness masquerading as professionalism. A true journalist would have sought an official response, verified facts from both sides, and avoided the temptation of using half-baked data to incite public cynicism.
It is precisely this kind of misinformation that has kept many Nigerian states trapped in underdevelopment. Years ago, the Dangote Refinery was proposed to be sited in Ondo State. But endless bureaucracy, local mismanagement resistance and political-will and noise from public scrutiny frustrated that opportunity until it was moved to Lagos. Today, Lagos State reaps the benefits of massive GDP growth, employment and infrastructure.
We must not make the same mistake twice. Ondo State cannot afford to keep losing golden opportunities because of cynics who interpret every major investment announcement as fraud. Progress demands faith, foresight, and courage, not fearmongering.
Economic development requires partnership, not paranoia; Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s leadership has prioritised industrialisation through partnership with credible investors. The Sunshine Free Trade Zone and Refinery Project represent an audacious step towards economic independence. If successful, it will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, enhance our internally generated revenue, and position Ondo.
The state is an energy and industrial hub in Nigeria. To reject such a project merely because the investors are new or foreign is to embrace economic stagnation. Ondo’s youth deserve opportunities, not endless scepticism. Communities along the coastline deserve development, not despair.
Let’s celebrate vision, not vilify it. every great development story begins with visionaries who dared to dream beyond doubts. The Aiyedatiwa administration has chosen that path to take bold, pragmatic steps toward positioning Ondo State on the global investment map.
Rather than giving traction to falsehoods and incomplete narratives, patriotic citizens should rally around the government’s effort and demand facts, not fear. Let the investors do their work, let regulatory processes take their course, and let the people of Ondo State enjoy the dividends that come with progress.
The $50 billion refinery and Free Trade Zone project is not a scam; it is a statement of ambition. It is a courageous move to industrialise the Sunshine State. Those seeking to undermine it for political relevance or cheap popularity only reveal their fear of progress.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa deserves commendation, not condemnation. History will remember those who supported Ondo State’s rise, not those who stood in the way of its progress.
Let us, therefore, separate facts from fiction, vision from mischief, and journalism from propaganda. Ondo’s industrial dawn is approaching and no amount of false narrative can dim that light.
Otaloro is a public affairs commentator and political analyst. He writes from Akure, Ondo State.