Yayi Targets 500,000 Jobs, Rail Link, Industrial Growth in Ogun 2027 Agenda
By Adenike Olowe
Creating more than 500,000 jobs, training 100,000 young people in digital skills and turning Ogun State into a major export gateway are among the economic targets unveiled by the APC Governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola “Yayi”.
Yayi unveiled the proposals on Friday, September 25, 2026, during his visit to the Ogun State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists at Iwe Iroyin Press Centre in Abeokuta.
He said Ogun’s proximity to Lagos, the Republic of Benin and the Atlantic Ocean gives the State a strategic economic advantage that should be fully exploited.
According to him, the State should move beyond being an industrial destination and develop into a major export and logistics hub serving Nigeria and the wider African market.
The APC Governorship candidate proposed the development of free trade zones, dry ports and Economic Development Clusters, alongside improved electricity supply to industrial areas and surrounding communities.
He also identified agriculture, solid minerals, oil and gas, tourism, technology and creative industries as areas with significant potential for job creation.
On youth employment, the APC candidate said his proposed administration would train 100,000 young people in digital skills by 2031.
Sen. Adeola also promised to establish a Youth Enterprise Hub in Abeokuta within six months of assuming office, with satellite hubs across the State.
According to him, the hubs would provide entrepreneurial support and microcredit while helping young people develop businesses.
Adeola said the broader target was to reduce youth unemployment by 40 per cent and facilitate the creation of more than 500,000 jobs.
Global Mirror News reports that the proposed employment programme would be linked to other sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, technology, sports and creative industries.
Adeola also promised an Ogun State Bus Mass Transit Programme along major routes, including Abeokuta-Sango-Ota-Sagamu, with organised terminals.
He further proposed collaboration with the Nigerian Railway Corporation to develop commuter rail connections between Abeokuta, Lagos and Ogun’s industrial corridors.
For commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators as well as drivers, he proposed OgunRide, a state-backed mobility platform designed to provide access to health insurance, vehicle financing and cooperative support.
Adeola said the initiative would help formalise the transport sector while improving the welfare of operators.
In agriculture, he proposed mechanisation, processing hubs, farmer financing and climate-smart farming, alongside a State-Supported Produce Market.
He said the objective was to reduce post-harvest losses and create an integrated value chain in which farmers could earn more from processed and finished products.
The APC candidate also highlighted the potential of the state’s mineral resources and promised to establish a Solid Minerals Development Company to facilitate licensing and joint ventures.
He said artisanal miners would be supported to enter the formal economy rather than being pushed out of the sector.
Adeola further spoke about oil exploration in Ogun Waterside and Tongeji Island, saying the emerging opportunities should be accompanied by transparent management of future revenues and visible development of host communities.
He linked the coastal opportunities to what he described as a 200-kilometre Coastal Energy Corridor extending from Ogun’s border with Benin Republic towards Ondo State, with the Olokola Deep Seaport as a proposed long-term maritime gateway.
On tourism, Adeola promised investments in Abeokuta’s historic sites, Ijebu festivals, Ogun Waterside’s coastal heritage, Adire, film, fashion, music and sports tourism.
He proposed a digital tourism portal to promote destinations and events within the state.
The Governorship candidate said the economic proposals formed part of a wider nine-pillar agenda that also covers education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and social welfare.
He said his administration would measure progress through specific targets and publish reports on what was working and what required adjustment.
Adeola told Journalists that Ogun’s economic potential should translate into tangible opportunities for residents across the State.
He urged the media to scrutinise the proposals and hold him accountable for whatever commitments eventually form part of his administration’s programme.
