The Federal Government has approved the dredging of the Lekki Deep Seaport, a key step towards enhancing the port’s capacity and positioning Nigeria as a dominant player in regional and global maritime trade.
The announcement was made by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho, via a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, following his visit to the port on Saturday.
“This Management intends to more frontally position the national economy to reap the multi-dimensional benefits of economies of scale that Lekki Port, with its capacity to berth super post-Panamax sized vessels, possesses,” Dantsoho stated.
A Strategic Move Toward Modernization
The decision comes on the heels of an endorsement by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who had earlier supported a strategic alliance between the NPA and Lekki Port for dredging operations aimed at increasing the draft and accommodating larger vessels.
Dantsoho emphasized that Lekki Port represents the future of Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure. With its fully automated systems, deep draft, and modern equipment, the port is a key component in the NPA’s broader Port Modernisation Programme.
“The quality of infrastructure and equipment at Lekki Port signposts the direction we are heading, especially as we aggressively pursue full automation across all our ports,” he said.
Boosting Regional Trade and Exports
The Lekki Deep Seaport is already showing significant growth in transshipment volumes, and Dantsoho noted that it is well-positioned to serve landlocked countries in West and Central Africa.
He also highlighted how the port’s design and automation will enable faster vessel and cargo turnaround, helping enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian exports, particularly agro-allied products, as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gains traction.
“With enhanced competitiveness comes increased demand, which ultimately grows foreign exchange inflow into the country,” he said.
Next Steps: PCS and National Single Window Integration
Dantsoho also confirmed that the NPA, with full policy backing from the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, is in the final stages of deploying the Port Community System (PCS). This will be a crucial step toward integrating with the National Single Window (NSW) for seamless, digital port operations.
“The fully automated status of Lekki aligns perfectly with our drive to digitise and modernise all Nigerian ports,” he said.
The inspection visit included top executives and stakeholders from both the NPA and Lekki Port, including:
- Abiodun Dabiri, Chairman, Lekki Port Board
- Qiang Wang, Managing Director, Lekki Port
- Vivian Richard-Edet, Executive Director, Finance & Admin, NPA
- Alhaji Olabode Oyedele, Director, Lekki Port
Dantsoho concluded by commending the consistent operational performance of Lekki Port and reaffirmed the NPA’s commitment to providing all necessary support for its continued optimisation.
