Economy of Omu-Aran

Omu-Aran has grown from a rural economy to a thriving commercial centre of importance, not only to its indigenes and inhabitants, but also to a network of far and near towns and villages. From a state of absolute dependence on agriculture and traditional services alone, in the past, the economy is now an interaction of multiple economic activities, including manufacturing, the professions, civil service, trading, transportation, lumbering, artisanship and agriculture, among others. In consequence, the economy today is bigger, more sophisticated and more prosperous.

Both agriculture, which remains the fulcrum of the town's economy, and these other economic activities are further discussed in greater detail as follows:

Agriculture, Commerce and Industries

Farming this main stay of the town's economy is still practiced mainly at the subsistence level. It is done on full time basis mostly by the aged and on part time basis by public servants and enterprising professionals and artisans.

Commercial farming is limited to cocoa plantations, oil palm plantations and large scale yam, maize and cassava cultivation. Particularly for the purpose of cocoa farming, indigenes of the town are spread across the forest belt of the country, concentrating around Ile-Ife, Ore, Aisegba and Owena in South West Nigeria.

Crop farming is also complemented by poultry and livestock farming by indigenes of the town.

Industrial Activities

There are also many of small and medium scale industries operating and contributing to the economy of the town.

These include:

•  Roofing Sheet Industries, exemplified by Ajide Olaiya Roofing Sheet Industry located at the former site of the town's aerodrome.

•  Food Processing Industries, involving the production, packaging and marketing of Ogieda (coarsely ground maize formula for making Omu-Aran's variety of hot pap)

•  Bakeries, producing bread for the consumption of the people of the community and its environs.

•  Feed mill /Poultry Farm, established by the state government. Production was halted for some time, but it is presently being resuscitated.

•  Block Making Industries, Moulding blocks on commercial basis. Some of the known names include Toye Block Industry, Olaiya Block Industry, etc.

•  Furniture Making Industries, producing household and office furniture. The known names include Abusi Edumare Furniture Works and Ike Oluwa Furniture Works

•  Recreation, Omu-Aran is well served by hotels of good quality, including Omoniyepe Hotel, Alakaka Motel and Lafun Hotel.

•  Artisanship, skilled artisans and tradesmen now also thrive in the town. They are made up of fashion designers, hair dressers, automobile mechanics, cobblers etc.

•  Saw Milling has lately sprung up in the town, striving to meet the lumber requirements of Omu-Aran and environs.

Transportation

There is also a thriving road transport sub-sector in the town, contributing in no small way to the welfare of the people and to the well-being of the economy.

Travelers would get a vehicle from the town any time of the day to far and near places, including Oro Ago, Isanlu-Isin, Aran Orin, Odo-Owa, Oko -ola, Oro, Ajase-Ipo, Ilorin, Ibadan and Lagos, among others. However, the sector also still requires revamping and more investment to give more quality and bring it up to date. This can be done by introducing taxis and increasing the number of buses plying the township roads.

Infrastructure

Omu-Aran is well connected to the outside world by a network of roads; it is served by access routes to Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State, Egbe/Kabba/Lokoja in Kogi State and Oro Ago, Isanlu-Isin and Ilorin, in Kwara State. The Omu-Aran Lokoja route has recently become the favourite of people traveling to Abuja. Internally too, there is a fair network of graded roads connecting different parts of the town to one another. The upkeep of the roads has been borne by the combined efforts of the community, the Local Government Authority and the State Government. Water supply in the town is one of the best in Kwara State through the public water system. As a mater of fact, many neighbouring towns and villages are being supplied with water from the town's waterworks.

Omu-Aran has also been blessed with public power supply since 1978 when the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) connected the town to the National grid. The 132 KVA distribution station at Omu-Aran supplies electricity to the Igbomina and Ekiti lands in Kwara State. And also parts of Kogi and Ekiti States. The electricity supply is one of the most stable in the whole federation.

The postal system is well developed, with the strong presence of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) in the town.

Presently, Omu-Aran enjoys all the three major mobile (GSM) network services in Nigeria (MTN, GLO and CelTel). Telephony in and around the town is receptive.

Government Bureaucracy

Apart from the private economic activities, there is also some government presence, contributing to the local economy through employment, particularly at the L.G secretariat, hospitals, magistrate and high courts and in teaching, forestry and water works.