President Tinubu backs Ogun’s $7bn-plus Gateway Deep Seaport and Blue Marine Zone, with projects projected to create over 50,000 direct jobs
Tinubu Unveils $7bn Ogun Port Deal as Nigeria Moves to Break Lagos Port Congestion
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has thrown his weight behind the proposed $7 billion-plus Gateway Deep Seaport and Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, describing the projects as a major response to Nigeria’s port congestion, logistics challenges and rising cost of doing business.
Tinubu spoke on Thursday in Paris, France, where he witnessed the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World, a global ports and logistics operator, for the development of the deep seaport and the 10,000-hectare special economic zone.
The proposed Gateway Deep Seaport at Ogun Waterside is planned with a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, which the Federal Government says would enable it to handle larger vessels, ease pressure on the Lagos port corridor and provide a new gateway for imports and exports.
“Nigeria lies at the heart of West African trade. Yet, our strategic advantage has been constrained by port congestion, inadequate draft capacity and logistics bottlenecks that increase the cost of doing business,” Tinubu said.
The President said the projects were designed to tackle those challenges while strengthening Nigeria’s position in regional trade and creating a stronger link between port infrastructure, manufacturing and exports.
According to the Presidency, the agreements envisage an initial investment of more than $7 billion, while the projects are projected to create more than 50,000 direct jobs at full development, alongside additional indirect employment opportunities.
Tinubu described the proposed special economic zone as a key component of the industrial strategy, saying the integration of the port with manufacturing and processing facilities would create a broader economic ecosystem rather than merely provide another cargo-handling facility.
“The Gateway Deep Seaport is the critical infrastructure that will support the zone’s viability. A port moves cargo; a port integrated with a special economic zone helps to build an economy. Each reinforces the other,” he said.
Under the proposed arrangement, imported inputs would be processed into finished products within the zone, while Nigerian raw materials would also be processed for export.
The President said the Federal Government would provide support for road, rail and power connectivity, strengthen investment security and maritime infrastructure, and remove unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles that could hinder the projects.
The Ogun State Government, led by Governor Dapo Abiodun, signed the agreements with DP World in the presence of federal officials, including the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Abubakar Dantsoho.
Tinubu also linked the proposed port and industrial zone to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing the Ogun section of the highway as critical to the commercial viability of the emerging corridor.
“The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is central to this corridor’s commercial viability,” he stressed, adding that the 28-kilometre Ogun State section of the 700-kilometre highway was scheduled for completion before the end of the year.
The President said the planned industrial corridor would also connect with other proposed investments in the area, including the Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard and the OK LNG Project.
He assured investors of continued Federal Government support and emphasised the need for regulatory certainty and policy stability to encourage long-term infrastructure investment.
“The agreements before us bring together vision, expertise, capital and execution capacity,” Tinubu declared.
He said the government would hold all parties to their commitments and continue working with Ogun State and other subnational governments to facilitate investments while ensuring that projects comply with existing laws and regulatory requirements.
The Ogun-DP World agreement represents one of the latest major investment announcements linked to the state’s ambition to develop an integrated maritime and industrial corridor. The Presidency said the projects are intended to expand productive capacity, attract foreign direct investment and strengthen Nigeria’s position in maritime trade, logistics, manufacturing and exports.
