A deep-water port at Ogun Waterside would add capacity outside congested Apapa and Tin Can Island, and the scale proposed, an 18-metre draft and a 10,000-hectare industrial zone, would generate heavy cargo flows that road alone may struggle to carry. The President’s undertaking to facilitate rail connectivity leaves open how, and whether, the port will be linked to Nigeria’s rail network.
The Ogun State Government and DP World have signed Memoranda of Understanding for the development of the Gateway Deep Seaport and the Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone in Nigeria.
The agreements were signed in Paris, France, in the presence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The proposed Gateway Deep Seaport at Ogun Waterside is planned with a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, while the Blue Marine Special Economic Zone is proposed to cover 10,000 hectares.
According to President Tinubu, the agreements envisage an initial investment of more than $7 billion across the projects.
The Federal Government has committed to providing regulatory and institutional support as the projects move from the agreements towards implementation.
“We will facilitate road, rail and power connectivity; strengthen investment security and our maritime domain; and remove unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles,” Tinubu said.
The President described the Gateway Deep Seaport as critical infrastructure supporting the proposed special economic zone, with the port and industrial development intended to operate as an integrated trade and logistics ecosystem.
The proposed port is intended to help decongest the Lagos port corridor, ease pressure on the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports and accommodate larger, deeper-draft vessels.
Tinubu also identified the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway as an important transport connection for the development. The 28km Ogun State section of the 700km highway is scheduled for completion before the end of 2026, according to the Presidency.
The projects are also planned as part of a broader strategic corridor incorporating the proposed Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard and the OK LNG Project.
Tinubu urged Ogun State and the investors to maintain momentum following the signing and proceed with implementation.
