The BOI Chairman, Mr. Duminda Hulangamuwa, and Director General (DG) Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena visited the Northern Province to examine the potential to drive investment into the Northern Province. The visit brought together government leaders, regional administrators and investors with a shared purpose: to fast-track two new Export Processing Zones at Paranthan and Kankasanthurai (KKS), make it easier to invest and do business, and open the door to promising new export sectors that can create jobs across the region.

At the proposed Paranthan Export Processing Zone, the Chairman and DG met the District Secretary, Kilinochchi; the Divisional Secretary, Paranthan; the Coordinating Secretary to Hon. Minister Bimal Rathnayaka; and officials from the Road Development Authority (RDA), the Provincial Road Development Authority (PRDA), the Railway Department and the Electricity Distribution Ltd. The discussions produced firm commitments: the BOI will open land reservations to investors by the end of November 2026 and begin internal infrastructure development at the site by early January 2027.

Following the above Visit in BOI will host a familiarization and investment promotion visit in November 2026 for leading investors and investor associations, offering them a first-hand view of what the Northern Province has to offer, including the new BOI industrial zones at Paranthan and Kankasanthurai.

At a meeting held at the Tellippalai Divisional Secretariat, attended by the District Secretary, Jaffna; the Divisional Secretary, Tellippalai; the Chairman of the Cement Corporation; the Coordinating Secretary to Hon. Minister Bimal Rathnayaka; officials from the RDA, PRDA, Railway Department and Electricity Distribution Ltd; and the Officer-in-Charge of the Sri Lanka Police – KKS, all parties agreed that internal infrastructure development at KKS will also commence by early January 2027, placing both zones on a parallel path to readiness.

The BOI also met existing and prospective investors, and the Investors shared valuable, first-hand insights on where the process can be made simpler and faster, pointing to the need for clearer and more consistent procedures on land valuation and allocation, quicker approvals and clearances from line agencies, and smoother coordination across government institutions.

The Chairman, Mr. Duminda Hulangamuwa, responded with a practical solution: A Single-Point Coordination Mechanism that will follow investor issues through to resolution. Working closely with the relevant government institutions, and drawing on the support of the appropriate political and administrative leadership where needed, the mechanism will expedite outstanding approvals and clear implementation bottlenecks, so that investors can move from approval to operation with confidence.

The Chairman and DG met and briefed the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, Nagalingam Vethanayahan, on the BOI's development initiatives in the region, including the KKS and Paranthan industrial zones, their implementation schedules and target completion timelines. The Chairman sought the Governor's support to establish a Single-Point Investor Facilitation Centre in the Northern Province, giving investors one trusted point of contact for the approvals and services they need from regional and national government institutions.

The Chairman also proposed a Regional Manpower Information Database/Data Centre to capture the availability, qualifications and skills of the Northern Province's workforce. A skilled, ready workforce is often the deciding factor for investors, even where land and infrastructure are already in place, and this initiative will allow the region to showcase its people as clearly as its physical assets.

At Ariyalai, Jaffna, the Chairman and DG toured sea cucumber and seaweed cultivation projects and met stakeholders to discuss how the industry can scale up and overcome the challenges it faces today. The visit confirmed strong potential to expand and commercialize these activities as export-oriented enterprises capable of generating employment and income across the Northern Province.

With industrial zones on a firm timeline, investor facilitation being strengthened, closer coordination across government, a workforce information base in development and new export sectors coming into view, the Northern Province could emerge as a promising investment destination. The BOI remains firmly committed to working alongside investors and local stakeholders to turn this potential into sustainable employment, rising incomes and lasting prosperity for the people of the region.