Nigeria Targets Regional Maritime Dominance With New Port Expansion Plan
By Stella Enenche, Abuja
Nigeria has unveiled fresh plans to expand its seaport infrastructure and deepen ongoing maritime reforms as part of efforts to position the country as the leading trade and logistics hub in West and Central Africa.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this on Monday while declaring open the Mid-Year Session of the Board of Directors of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa in Lagos.
Speaking at the event themed, “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development,” Oyetola said the Federal Government had approved the development of additional deep seaports across the country to complement existing facilities and improve supply chain efficiency.
According to him, the move is aimed at reinforcing Nigeria’s position as the preferred maritime and logistics hub for the West and Central African sub-region.
The minister said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained focused on modernising the nation’s ports through infrastructure upgrades, digital transformation and operational reforms.
He noted that recent policy interventions and collaboration among government agencies had helped to reduce congestion and logistics bottlenecks at the nation’s 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 also highlighted the Federal Government’s National Single Window initiative, describing it as a major reform expected to streamline cargo clearance through digital integration of port and government operations.
He further disclosed that existing ports would undergo extensive upgrades, including channel deepening, to accommodate larger vessels and increase cargo handling capacity.
On maritime security, the minister said the Deep Blue Project had significantly reduced maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea and eliminated piracy in Nigerian waters, restoring investor confidence in the region’s maritime corridor.
He urged delegates attending the three-day meeting to focus on policies that would strengthen supply chain resilience, promote innovation and support inclusive community development around port operations.
In his remarks, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and President of PMAWCA, Abubakar Dantsoho, said the West and Central African maritime sector was experiencing renewed investment momentum, with over $27 billion worth of port projects ongoing or recently announced across the region.
Dantsoho listed major projects including the Simandou-Morebaya Deep Sea Port project in Guinea, the Port San Pedro project in Côte d’Ivoire, the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, as well as ongoing upgrades in Ghana and Senegal.
He said ports in the region must evolve beyond conventional cargo operations to become drivers of blue economy growth through sectors such as renewable marine energy, aquaculture, fisheries, coastal tourism and marine biotechnology.
The event, which runs from May 18 to 20, attracted senior government officials, maritime stakeholders and private sector investors, including Aliko Dangote, Taraba State Governor Kefas Agbu and former NPA Managing Director Hadiza Bala Usman.
