Onne, Rivers, Delta and Calabar ports to join Apapa and Tin Can Island in government’s drive to expand cargo capacity and ease pressure on Lagos……
The Federal Government has approved the comprehensive modernisation and upgrade of four major ports outside Lagos as part of efforts to expand Nigeria’s maritime capacity and reduce the heavy concentration of cargo traffic in the nation’s commercial capital.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, announced the approval for the Onne, Rivers, Delta and Calabar ports in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser, Bolaji Akinola.
The latest approval comes on the heels of the Federal Government’s earlier decision to modernise and upgrade the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos.
According to Oyetola, the expansion of the modernisation programme is aimed at creating a more balanced national port network capable of supporting rising trade volumes, attracting investment and strengthening economic activity across different regions.
He said the move formed part of the administration’s broader plan to reposition the maritime sector as a major contributor to economic growth, trade, investment and employment under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This approval marks another important step in our determination to transform Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and unlock the enormous economic potential of our ports,” the minister said.
Oyetola said infrastructure development and economic diversification remained central to the administration’s agenda, stressing that efficient ports were essential to achieving those objectives because of their role in facilitating international trade and supporting businesses.
The minister explained that extending the upgrade programme beyond Lagos would provide additional gateways for cargo and help ease the pressure created by the concentration of maritime activities around Apapa and Tin Can Island.
He said the rehabilitation and modernisation of the four ports would improve cargo handling, shorten vessel turnaround times and strengthen connectivity within their respective regions.
The upgrades, he added, are also expected to make the movement of goods more predictable and reduce logistics costs for businesses that rely on the ports.
“These ports have strategic roles to play in our trade, industrial and regional development, and we are determined to equip them to meet the demands of a growing economy,” Oyetola said.
The minister said the government’s strategy goes beyond upgrading existing facilities, noting that the development of new deep seaports would further expand Nigeria’s ability to handle increasing volumes of international trade.
“Our approach is comprehensive. We are modernising existing ports while facilitating the development of new deep seaports. This will give Nigeria greater capacity to handle increasing volumes of trade, attract investment and position our country as a major maritime and logistics hub in Africa,” he said.
Oyetola also outlined plans for a more integrated transport network in which seaports are connected efficiently to roads, railways, inland waterways and other logistics infrastructure.
According to him, such integration would improve the movement of cargo from ports to markets while reducing the time and resources businesses spend transporting goods.
“Our ambition is to build a port system that is efficient, transparent and globally competitive. We want Nigerian businesses to spend less time and resources moving their goods, while creating an environment that encourages investment and supports job creation,” the minister said.
The government is also expected to work with state governments, terminal operators, investors, shipping companies and other stakeholders as the various port projects progress.
Oyetola said collaboration with private-sector and sub-national stakeholders would be critical to translating the infrastructure investments into measurable improvements in Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy.
“Nigeria has the geography, market and maritime resources to become a leading maritime hub. Our responsibility is to provide the infrastructure, policies and enabling environment to turn that potential into sustainable economic value. This is what the Renewed Hope Agenda is about,” he added.
The latest approval forms part of a wider expansion of Nigeria’s port infrastructure, with the Federal Government also backing the development of new deep seaports across the country.
Among the projects are the Ibom Deep Seaport in Akwa Ibom, Bakassi Deep Seaport in Cross River, Agge Deep Seaport in Bayelsa, Gateway Deep Seaport in Ogun, Ondo Deep Seaport and Bonny Deep Seaport in Rivers State.
With the modernisation of existing facilities and the planned development of new ports, the Federal Government says it is seeking to create a more decentralised maritime network capable of handling growing trade, improving logistics and strengthening Nigeria’s position as a regional maritime hub.
