Coming on the heels of the approval by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of an electricity license for the Benin Industrial Park (BIP), investors are falling over themselves to snap up juicy lots at the park, located at Iyanomo, near Benin City.

The BIP is a big-ticket project by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in Edo State aimed at driving the state government’s industralisation agenda and hosting manufacturing, agro-allied, textile and automobile industries.

Governor Obaseki, at the commissioning of the new 1X60MVA, 132/33KV power transformer in Okpella, Estako East Local Government, disclosed that a Chinese company will be mobilising not less than 20 engineers to the proposed site of the Benin Industrial Park to commence preliminary work.

According to him, “The approval of the license has further prompted a partnership with a Chinese Company that has shown interest to partner with us to develop our industrial park. They are sending 20 engineers to the state next month.”

The visit by the Chinese Engineers follows several other business concerns that have expressed interest in setting up at the site, checks at the state's Investment Promotion Office, show.

“We have noticed impressive enquiries on the status of the project and the opportunities for investment. I think what is pulling the interest is the assurance that we now have a license for power generation at the site. As you well know, power is one of the major considerations for investment. With the governor’s investment-friendly posture, the assurance of electricity clears the coast for potential investors,” an official at the Investment Promotion Office said.

Mr. Osamudiamen Efosa, who resides in Iyanomo, said that there has been an increase in traffic of people coming to the site of the industrial park with the news that a power license has been approved, noting that the state government’s commitment to the project is remarkable.”

According to him, “Aside from the usual set of people we often see here, we are seeing a new crop of people who have been coming to make enquiries on the status of the project and they are often delighted to see a field office at the site.