FIC Report (Lagos State) – The Federal Government has approved the development of additional deep seaports to compliment existing facilities, in a bid to sharpen Nigeria’s competitive edge and make its ports the preferred destination for vessels across West and Central Africa.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola made the disclosure while declaring open the mid-year session of the Board of Directors of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa in Lagos on Monday, May 18, 2026.
“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”, Oyetola stated.
The PMAWCA meeting, themed “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development,” drew port chiefs and policymakers from 22 countries.
Oyetola said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains focused on overhauling the nation’s port system through infrastructure renewal, digital transformation and improved operational efficiency.
“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.
He explained that ongoing policy reforms and enhanced inter-agency collaboration had significantly reduced logistics bottlenecks across major seaports. “We are seeing faster cargo evacuation, shorter vessel waiting periods,” the minister noted.
A centerpiece of the reforms is the Federal Government’s National Single Window initiative. Oyetola described it as“a transformative reform aimed at streamlining cargo clearance processes through the digital integration of relevant government agencies and port operations.”
Beyond new builds, existing ports will undergo extensive upgrades. “Channel deepening projects are intended to accommodate larger vessels and boost trade capacity,” Oyetola said. “These upgrades are critical to ensuring that our ports remain globally competitive and capable of supporting larger volumes of trade in the years ahead.”
On maritime security, the minister pointed to the Deep Blue Project as a turning point. “Piracy had been eliminated from Nigerian waters while maritime crimes across the Gulf of Guinea had declined significantly”, he said.
The improved security climate, he added, had restored investor confidence. “It has enhanced the region’s reputation as a safe maritime corridor for international trade.”
Oyetola urged PMAWCA delegates to champion initiatives that strengthen logistical resilience across port operations and regional supply chains. “We must promote sustainable port management, innovation, digital transformation and inclusive community development”, he told the board.
In his welcome address, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and PMAWCA President, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, said West and Central Africa was seeing renewed momentum in maritime infrastructure, with over $`27 billion in port projects either ongoing or recently announced across the sub-region.
“Look at 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,” Dantsoho said. He also cited new port initiatives in Ghana and Senegal, ongoing investments in Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, and APM Terminals’ recently announced $600 million investment commitment in Nigeria.
But Dantsoho argued that ports must evolve beyond cargo gates. “Ports in West and Central Africa must evolve beyond their traditional function as cargo transit gateways and become catalysts for broader blue economy development,” he said.
“The future of the sector lies in areas such as renewable marine energy, aquaculture, sustainable fisheries, coastal tourism and marine biotechnology,” he added.
The PMAWCA Mid-Year Session, running from May 18 to 20, 2026, drew key government and private sector stakeholders. Attendees included Taraba State Governor Dr. Kefas Agbu; Lagos State Governor represented by Transportation Commissioner Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi; Chairman of Dangote Group Alhaji Aliko Dangote; and Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, among others.
For Nigeria, the message from Lagos was clear: build more, digitise faster, secure the waters, and turn ports into engines of wider economic growth. “The approvals we have today are not just for concrete and cranes,” Oyetola said. “They are for competitiveness, for jobs, and for Nigeria’s place in regional trade.”
Dimaka Chioma
Deputy Director
Information/Public Relations Officer.
19 / 05 / 2026 .
