Bolloré Africa Logistics–PowerChina International Group Limited Consortium (the “BolloréPowerChina Consortium”) has emerged the preferred bidder for the Ibom Deep Seaport Project (IDSP).
The selection followed a rigorous evaluation process conducted by the Evaluation Committee convened by the IDSP Ministerial Project Development and Steering Committee (MPDSC) on competing bids received in response to the IDSP Request for Proposal (RFP).
The development was conveyed in a statement issued yesterday by the Chairperson, Ibom Deep Seaport Project Technical Committee; Mrs Mfon Ekong Usoro
China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. emerged as the reserved bidder.
Shipping Position Daily learnt that the Minister of Transportation; Rotimi Amaechi has also approved the IDSP project to proceed to the next stage of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) procurement process which is negotiation with the preferred bidder with the view to work out the investment and concession details.
Reacting to the development, an apparently satisfied Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State said : “On behalf of the Akwa Ibom State Government (AKSG), I thank the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMOT), Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) for giving full and unstinting support to the AKSG throughout the IDSP PPP procurement process, including the recently concluded RFP bids opening and evaluation milestones which saw to the selection of the Preferred and Reserved Bidders”
He was represented by the Secretary to the State Government; Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem
“The AKSG is unwavering in its determination and will work in tandem with the FMOT and NPA to realize the IDSP. Upon its completion, the IDSP is poised to bring smart, world class port handling capacity to the doorsteps of Akwa Ibom State and to serve the cargo handling demand of the West and Central African countries, States in the South-South as well as South East regions of Nigeria. We are confident that the IDSP will be pivotal to the economic development of the State and the surrounding regions”, he added.
Speaking on the project, the Acting DG of ICRC, Engr. Chidi Izuwah said “the IDSP is one of the PPP projects that we are very proud of. The seaport will form part of an integrated industrial city to help foster economic development of the country as transportation is key to national development”.
“The seaport is near the South-South and South-East regions and will drive the economic transformation and empowerment of Nigerians with a multiplier effect that will create massive employment for the country’s teeming population. It’s circle of economic influence is expected to extend radially to the North Central, North Eastern and North Western zones”.
He noted also that the next steps for the project will be a due diligence on the preferred proponent and extensive negotiations after which a Full Business Case (FBC) will be submitted by the FMOT to ICRC for the issuance of an FBC compliance certificate. The FBC compliance certificate will be presented for approval of the Federal Executive Council.
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