Tyro Group’s $100m investment boosts Kwale Free Trade Zone

The Kwale Free Trade Zone in Delta State is set to witness a marked industrial transformation as Tyro Group are investing $100 million in Delta Wires Limited, one of its flagship companies.

Already, the Kwale Free Trade Zone is known for an abundance of crude oil and gas resources thereby making it an oil and gas hub.

Experts believe that the investment is capable of kick-starting an industrial revolution that could redefine the economic future of Delta State and also strengthen Nigeria’s claim as a manufacturing powerhouse in West Africa.

The emerging multi billion Naira integrated gas and steel complex is also designed to stimulate industrialization, expand access to clean energy, create jobs, facilitate technology transfer, and deepen regional trade.

Tyro Group will rely on the abundant gas resources in the area to provide reliable and uninterrupted power, which is a critical factor in the success story of any manufacturing concern in Nigeria.

During a tour of the facility, a company official said, “Power is not merely an auxiliary component of production; it is a critical input. To secure reliable and sustainable power, we need to be close to the source of gas.”

Delta State Government has a 10% equity share in the project which is a significant step towards building confidence in the project and mitigating associated risks.

Beyond policy support, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, has stated his desire to transform the state into a major industrial destination, create a business friendly environment to attract investors.

With construction work at about 85% completion, the project is expected to generate 1,500 direct and 5,000 indirect jobs in logistics, distribution, maintenance, retail, and support services, and address Nigeria’s steel deficit by reducing steel imports from Europe and Asia.

The facility will produce a broad range of steel products essential to infrastructure and housing development, including wires, nails, mesh, barbed wire, reinforcement bars, structural sections, channels, angles, flats, and I-beams.

One of its most notable innovations is the planned production of structural steel sections of up to 300 millimetres, a capability that remains rare within Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.

According to company officials, production lines for nails, wires, mesh, and barbed wire are scheduled for commissioning in August, marking the commencement of commercial operations.

The second phase will introduce structural steel manufacturing alongside facilities for the production of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders.

Tyro Group has a joint venture arrangement with NNPCL Gas to access to more than 300 million standard cubic feet of gas per day within its operational area.

Plans include the establishment of a medium-scale LNG-to-CNG mother station, supported by daughter stations in Asaba, Kwale, and Warri, which will be linked through specialised gas transportation trucks.

Through its Gas-to-Power initiative, Tyro Group is developing a dedicated 50MW power supply system to anchor next-generation data centre infrastructure that will support high-performance computing systems, including artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, cloud services, and global Bitcoin mining operations.

The project is being delivered in a strategic partnership with US-based Baylis Digital Africa LLC, utilising their international expertise in digital infrastructure, blockchain, and data centre optimisation.

By capitalising on Delta State’s vast natural gas reserves to provide scalable, low-cost energy, this phase establishes Tyro Group as a leading industrial and digital hub poised to compete in the global technology sector.

BusinessDay gathered that in order to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality, the company has launched an environmental programme that includes the planting of approximately 3,500 coconut trees around the industrial complex.