Nigeria Expands Port Capacity To Lead Regional Trade, Says Oyetola

To position Nigeria as the leading trade and logistics hub in West and Central Africa,the Federal Government has sustained the expansion of its ports capacity while implementing major maritime reforms.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola stated this while declaring open the Mid-Year Session of the Board of Directors of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) in Victoria Island, Lagos. The meeting is themed, “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development.”

Meanwhile, at the occasion, the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has restated his plan to deepen Africa’s maritime trade capacity through a new deep seaport project to enhance regional commerce and logistics across the continent.

The minister said the Federal Government had approved the development of additional deep seaports across the country to strengthen supply chain resilience and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global maritime industry.

“Approvals have therefore been granted for the development of additional deep seaports across the country to complement existing infrastructure, strengthen supply chain resilience, and reinforce Nigeria’s position as the preferred maritime and logistics hub for West and Central Africa,” Dr. Oyetola said.

He added that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained committed to modernising the nation’s ports through infrastructure upgrades, digital transformation and improved operational efficiency.

According to him, coordinated policy interventions and stronger inter-agency collaboration had significantly reduced logistics bottlenecks at major seaports.

“These efforts have contributed to improved cargo evacuation, reduced vessel waiting time, greater operational efficiency, and a more predictable business environment for port users and investors,” he said.

Oyetola described the Federal Government’s National Single Window initiative as a landmark reform designed to streamline cargo clearance through digital integration of government agencies and port operations.

He also disclosed that existing seaports would undergo comprehensive upgrades, including channel deepening, to attract larger vessels.

“These upgrades are critical to ensuring that our ports remain globally competitive and capable of supporting larger volumes of trade in the years ahead,” the minister stated.

On maritime security, Dr. Oyetola said the implementation of the Deep Blue Project had eliminated piracy in Nigerian waters and drastically reduced maritime crimes across the Gulf of Guinea. He noted that the achievement had restored investor confidence and strengthened the region’s attractiveness as a secure maritime corridor for international commerce.

The minister charged delegates to advance initiatives that would “strengthen logistical resilience in port operations and regional supply chains,” while also promoting sustainable port management, innovation, digital transformation and inclusive community development linked to maritime activities.

In his welcome address, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and President of PMAWCA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, said West and Central Africa was witnessing a major resurgence in maritime infrastructure investment, with more than $27 billion worth of port projects underway or recently announced across the sub-region.

Dantsoho cited major projects including the $20 billion Simandou-Morebaya Deep Sea Port project in Guinea, the $2 billion Port San Pedro project in Côte d’Ivoire, the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, and port developments in Ghana and Senegal. He also highlighted ongoing investments in Nigeria’s Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, alongside a $600 million investment by APM Terminals.

He said ports in West and Central Africa must move beyond their traditional role as cargo gateways and become drivers of broader blue economy growth.

According to him, “the future of the sector lies in areas such as renewable marine energy, aquaculture, sustainable fisheries, coastal tourism and marine biotechnology.”

Observing that the West and Central Africa is running short of modern and competitive ports, Dangote said his company had concluded plans to further expand investments in the Lekki Free Trade Zone port project, describing it as a strategic development that would transform maritime trade in Africa.

According to him, the Lekki Deep Sea Port is expected to become the largest and deepest seaport on the continent upon completion.

Dangote further disclosed that discussions had been concluded with the President of Tanzania on additional port development projects aimed at strengthening logistics operations across Africa.

He said the company’s growing investment in port infrastructure reflects its ambition to become one of Africa’s leading logistics providers, while assuring stakeholders of continued collaboration in advancing maritime development

He called for greater private sector participation in port development across Africa, stressing that governments should prioritise creating an enabling environment and revenue generation rather than directly engaging in port construction.

According to him, persistent infrastructure gaps and inefficiencies in some West and Central African ports continue to cause delays in cargo operations, affecting trade flows across the region.

He cited experiences in Côte d’Ivoire, where vessels reportedly wait for up to three weeks before discharging cargo due to congestion and limited port capacity.

“There should be a deliberate effort by governments to create policies that attract entrepreneurs and investors into the maritime sector. Increased private sector involvement would ultimately boost government revenue,” he said.

Dangote maintained that the government should focus on regulation and revenue collection while allowing private investors to build and operate ports.

“Government has no business investing in ports. Government should focus on revenue collection and provide the right environment for private investors to build and operate ports,” he added.

The event, scheduled to hold from 18 to 20 May 2026, was also attended by the Governor of Taraba State, Dr. Kefas Agbu; the Governor of Lagos State represented by the Commissioner of Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi; Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; and Special Adviser on Policy Coordination to the President, Hadiza Bala Usman, among many others.