The Federal Government has announced plans to collaborate with state governments in Nigeria’s South-South region to develop four new deep-sea ports, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed.
The upcoming ports will be located at:
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Agge (Bayelsa State)
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Ibom (Akwa Ibom State)
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Bakassi (Cross River State)
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Bonny (Rivers State)
Dr Oyetola, speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the South South Development Commission (SSDC) in Abuja, described the initiative as key to positioning Nigeria as a regional maritime hub. He noted that the development of these ports will significantly boost logistics efficiency, industrial growth and employment opportunities in the region.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernise existing ports. Under the Federal Government’s port modernisation programme, the existing facilities — including Warri Port (Delta State), Rivers Port and Onne Port (Rivers State), and Calabar Port (Cross River State) — are set to be upgraded. Dredging work is planned to deepen these ports to a minimum draft of 16 metres, enabling them to accommodate larger vessels. The minister explained that bigger vessels will reduce the cost of doing business and attract increased trade volumes in the Gulf of Guinea region.
Dr Oyetola urged state governments in the South-South to leverage the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to boost marine tourism, which he described as a vital economic opportunity. He pointed out that the presence of institutions such as the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron (Akwa Ibom State) and the Nigeria Maritime University in Okerenkoko (Delta State) reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to developing human capital for the maritime and blue economy sectors.
Ms Usoro Akpabio, Managing Director of the SSDC, commended the minister’s leadership and pledged the Commission’s readiness to partner in blue economy initiatives across the region. She also proposed the creation of a joint working team comprising officials from the Ministry and the SSDC to facilitate coordination and implementation of these projects.
Credit: Newtelegraph
