The General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) and the government of Ogun State, located in southwestern Nigeria, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to strengthen their economic ties. The signing ceremony took place in Abeokuta, about a hundred kilometers from Lagos.
Signed by Ali Zerouali, Vice President of the Africa Commission of CGEM, and Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun State, this agreement paves the way for multisectoral cooperation covering agriculture, industry, infrastructure, renewable energies, as well as education and vocational training.
The objective of this partnership is to foster the emergence of joint projects and boost investment flows between Morocco and this Nigerian state, considered a key industrial hub. It also aims to stimulate trade and cultural exchanges, with a particular focus on agricultural innovations, industrial parks, and solar, wind, and hydropower energies.
The agreement also envisions collaboration on infrastructure projects, particularly in the road, port, railway, and housing sectors, as well as programs for human capital development, including academic and technical exchanges.
Ali Zerouali emphasized that « this partnership is fully in line with our common ambition to structure and promote regional value chains integrated into the global economy, particularly in strategic sectors such as agribusiness, energy, training, and industry at large. »
He also recalled that Morocco is now asserting itself as a « credible and stable hub for South-South cooperation, » under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The agreement with Ogun State thus aims to catalyze cross-investments, strengthen intra-African trade, and lay the foundations for competitive industrial ecosystems that create jobs.
« By combining our respective strengths, we can build a prosperous future based on a shared vision of African emergence and balanced partnerships, benefiting both our nations and the entire continent, » he concluded.
For his part, the Governor of Ogun praised Morocco’s expertise in key areas such as education, technology, and agriculture. He also highlighted Morocco’s role as a major industrial platform in the automotive and aerospace sectors, considering that this success story could be replicated in Nigeria through cooperation with CGEM.
He also stressed the importance of the Ogun Special Economic Zone and ongoing initiatives to improve energy access for local industries.
This new agreement follows an initial meeting between the two parties in Casablanca last December. It is part of the growing rapprochement between Rabat and Abuja, initiated since the visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to Nigeria in 2016.
