In special economic zones[1][2] business and trades laws differ from the rest of the country. The term, and a number of other terms, can have different specific meanings in different countries and publications. Often they have relaxed jurisdiction of customs or related national regulations. They can be ports or other large areas or smaller allocated areas.
Terms include free port (porto Franco), free zone (zona franca), bonded area (US: foreign-trade zone), free economic zone, free-trade zone, export processing zone and maquiladora.
Most commonly a free port is a special customs area or small customs territory with generally less strict customs regulations (or no customs duties or controls for transshipment). Earlier in history, some free ports like enjoyed political autonomy. Many international airports have free ports, though they tend to be called customs areas, customs zones, or international zones.
Although the enabling act came into effect in 1992, the pioneer Free Zone (the Calabar Free Trade Zone) was not fully completed until 1999, and commenced operation after official commissioning in November 2001. Since then, the Free Zones Scheme has been used as a vehicle for industrial and commercial development of the country. Private Sector participation and partnership with the Federal Government and other tiers of government has helped spread the scheme. This has culminated in the establishment of specialised Free Zones and other types of Zones, namely:
Serial Number
Name
Location
Status
Ownership
1
Snake Island Integrated Free Zone
Lagos
Operational
Private
2
Kano Free Trade Zone (KFTZ)
Kano State
Operational
Fed. Govt.
3
Onne oil & Gas Free Zone
River State
Operational
Under Parallel Authority
4
Tinapa Free Zone & Tourism Resort
CRS
Operational
Private/Public
5
Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ)
CRS
Operational
Fed. Govt.
6
Maigatari Border Free Zone
Jigawa State
Operational
State
7
LADOL Free Zone
Lagos
Operational
Private
8
Airline Services Export Proc. Zone
Lagos State
Operational
Private
9
ALSCON Export Processing Zone
Akwa Ibon
Operational
Private
10
Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone
Ogun State
Operational
Public/ Private
11
Sebore Farms Export Processing Zones
Adamawa State
Operational
Private
12
Ibom Science & Tech. Park Free Zone
Akwa Ibom
Under Cons.
Public/Private
13
Living Spring Free Zone
Osun State
Under Cons.
State
14
Lekki Free Zone
Lagos State
Under Cons.
State/ Private
15
Brass LNG Free Zone
Bayelsa
Under Cons.
Public/Private
16
Abuja Technological Village Free Zone
Abuja
Under Cons.
Public/Private
17
Specialized Railway Industrial FTZ - Kajola
Ogun State
Under Cons.
Public/Private
18
Imo Guangdong FTZ
Imo State
Under Cons.
Public/Private
19
OK Free Trade Zone
Ondo & Ogun
Under Cons.
States/ Private
20
Lagos Free Zone
Lagos State
Under Cons.
Private
21
Kwara Free Zone
Kwara State
Declaration
State Govt.
22
Oluyole Free Trade Zone
Oyo State
Declaration
State Govt.
23
Koko Free Trade Zone
Delta State
Declaration
State Govt.
24
OILSS Logistics Free Zone
Lagos
Declaration
Private
25
Banki Border Free Zone
Borno State
Declaration
State
26
NAHCO Free Trade Zone
Lagos State
Operational
Private
The introduction of free zones has played a large role in increasing the amount of investment into Nigeria. When all the free zones are fully operational, Nigeria is projected to play a large role in expanding export-driven manufacturing activities in Africa.[3]
↑УПРАВЛЕНИЕ ОСОБЫМИ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИМИ ЗОНАМИ СУБЪЕКТА РФ Масаев С.Н. В сборнике: XIII Всероссийское совещание по проблемам управления ВСПУ-2019 Труды. Под общей редакцией Д.А. Новикова. 2019. С. 1773-1778.