By Oluyinka Onigbinde
President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has declared that the proposed Olokola Port in Ogun State will become the largest and deepest seaport in Africa, even as the conglomerate intensifies its push into port infrastructure development across the continent.
Dangote, who spoke during an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the meeting of Board of Directors of Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) on Monday emphasized that Africa’s port infrastructure deficit remains a major challenge to trade and industrial growth, insisting that governments alone cannot successfully drive the massive investments required in the sector.
According to him, inefficient port operations across several African countries have continued to hamper business activities, with cargoes and vessels often delayed for days due to inadequate infrastructure and operational bottlenecks.
He noted that such delays are making business operations increasingly difficult for investors and manufacturers, stressing the urgent need for greater private sector participation in port development across the continent.
“A lot of ports in Africa still face serious operational delays. Some vessels wait for days, and this is making business very difficult. One of the key recommendations I have made is that governments should encourage more private sector investment in port infrastructure,” Dangote stated.
The billionaire industrialist argued that port development should not be left solely in the hands of governments, maintaining that the private sector possesses the capacity, efficiency and capital required to deliver world-class maritime infrastructure.
“It is not really the job of governments to build and run ports alone. The private sector should create those investments, invest heavily, while governments focus on regulation and revenue collection,” he added.
Dangote disclosed that the group has already unveiled plans to develop the Olokola Port, which he described as a transformational maritime project capable of redefining trade and logistics operations in Africa.
“We announced that we are building the Olokola Port. We are going to build the largest and deepest seaport in Africa, and that will happen in Olokola,” he said.
He revealed that the project is expected to commence this year once the necessary approvals are secured from the Federal Government.
“We are hoping to start this year, if we get approval. As soon as we receive approval from the government, we will move ahead with the project,” he stated.
Beyond Nigeria, Dangote also confirmed that the group is pursuing another major port project in Bagamoyo, Tanzania, as part of its broader African expansion strategy in maritime infrastructure.
He disclosed that discussions with Tanzanian authorities were already progressing, noting that he had just returned from the East African country.
“We are also working on another port in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. I just came back from there yesterday, and we are engaging with them. Once approvals come through, we will proceed,” Dangote explained.
He further described port infrastructure as one of the strategic sectors the Dangote Group intends to pursue aggressively in the coming years, alongside its investments in cement, fertilizer, petrochemicals and logistics.
“Port infrastructure is now one of the key sectors for the Dangote Group, and we are going to pursue it aggressively,” he affirmed.
