The minister of marine and blue economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, says the federal government has approved the development of additional deep seaports across Nigeria to strengthen maritime infrastructure and improve supply chain capacity.
He made this known on Monday while declaring open the mid-year session of the board of directors of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) in Lagos.
The event, themed “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development,” brought together maritime stakeholders and industry players from across the region.
Oyetola said the new seaports would complement existing facilities, enhance operational efficiency, and reinforce Nigeria’s role in regional trade and logistics.
“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,” he said.
He added that the Tinubu administration is also modernising existing ports through infrastructure upgrades, digital systems, and channel deepening projects to accommodate larger vessels.
According to him, these reforms are already improving cargo movement and reducing delays at the ports.
“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 described the national single window initiative as a major reform designed to simplify cargo clearance through digital coordination of port operations and relevant government agencies.
On maritime security, he said the Deep Blue Project has helped eliminate piracy in Nigerian waters and significantly reduce crimes within the Gulf of Guinea.
Meanwhile, Abubakar Dantsoho, managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and president of PMAWCA, said over $27 billion worth of port projects are currently ongoing or newly announced across West and Central Africa.
He listed major projects such as the Simandou-Morebaya deep seaport in Guinea, the Port San Pedro project in Côte d’Ivoire, the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, and new investments by APM Terminals in Nigeria.
Dantsoho said ports in the region must evolve beyond cargo handling to become drivers of wider blue economy development.