President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged federal support for the development of the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, as Ogun State Government and global ports operator DP World signed agreements to advance the projects. Speaking at the signing ceremony in Paris, France, on Wednesday, Tinubu assured domestic and foreign investors of continued regulatory clarity, policy stability and a predictable business environment to support long-term investment in Nigeria. The agreements, signed by the Ogun State Government and DP World, envisage an initial investment of more than $7 billion, according to the State House. The proposed Gateway Deep Seaport at Ogun Waterside is expected to feature a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, with the capacity to handle larger vessels and help ease congestion at Lagos ports, particularly Apapa and Tin Can Island. Tinubu said the project would reduce logistics costs and delays for importers and exporters while strengthening Nigeria's position as a maritime trade and logistics hub serving the African Continental Free Trade Area market. The Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, proposed to cover 10,000 hectares, is expected to complement the port by providing space for manufacturing, processing and export-oriented industries. “At full development, the projects are projected to create more than 50,000 direct jobs and many additional indirect opportunities,” Tinubu said, adding that the investments would also generate non-oil export earnings. The President commended Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Ogun State Government for securing the land and structuring the investment framework, describing the initiative as an example of cooperation between the federal and subnational governments. He pledged that the Federal Government would facilitate road, rail and power connections, strengthen investment security and the maritime domain, and remove unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles. “The agreements before us bring together vision, expertise, capital and execution capacity,” Tinubu said, welcoming DP World and other investors involved in the project. The President also linked the proposed developments to the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, saying the 28-kilometre Ogun section of the 700-kilometre highway would provide an important transport connection to the port and industrial zone. According to Tinubu, the projects would form part of a broader strategic corridor involving the proposed Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard and the OK LNG Project, linking the industrial cluster to Nigeria's energy and gas-export ambitions. He said the Blue Marine Special Economic Zone was already attracting interest from global manufacturing and industrial companies. “Within the zone, imported inputs will be transformed into finished goods, Nigerian raw materials will be processed for export and, most importantly, our young men and women will find dignified, productive and sustainable employment,” he said. Governor Dapo Abiodun led the Ogun delegation to the ceremony, which included Secretary to the State Government Tokunbo Talabi and commissioners responsible for finance, works, industry, trade and investment, and transport. Also present were Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola; Nigeria's Ambassador to France, Emmanuel Ayodele Oke; Nigerian Ports Authority Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Abubakar Dantsoho; DP World's Group Chief Executive Officer Yuvraj Narayan; SkyKapital Managing Director and CEO Karim Noujaim; and DP World's Senior Vice President for Business Development, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mohammed Rashid Ismail. Tinubu urged Ogun State and the investors to sustain the momentum generated by the agreements and move quickly toward implementation, while ensuring compliance with Nigeria's laws and regulatory requirements. He said strengthening the maritime economy remained central to the Federal Government's economic diversification strategy. “Nigeria lies at the heart of West African trade. Yet, our strategic advantage has been constrained by port congestion, inadequate draft capacity and logistics bottlenecks that increase the cost of doing business,” the President said. The State House said the agreements marked a significant milestone in efforts to attract foreign direct investment, expand productive capacity and develop Nigeria's maritime, manufacturing, logistics and export sectors.
