By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has disclosed that Nigeria is expanding its port infrastructure and implementing strategic maritime reforms aimed at positioning the country as the leading trade and logistics hub in West and Central Africa.
Oyetola 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 in Victoria Island, Lagos. The session is themed, “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development.”
According to the minister, the Federal Government has approved the development of additional deep seaports across the country to complement existing facilities, strengthen supply chain resilience and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global maritime sector.
He noted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to modernising the nation’s ports through infrastructure renewal, digital transformation and improved operational efficiency.
Oyetola stated that coordinated policy measures and stronger collaboration among government agencies had significantly reduced logistics bottlenecks at the nation’s major seaports, resulting in improved cargo evacuation, shorter vessel waiting periods and a more predictable business environment for investors and port users.
He described the Federal Government’s National Single Window initiative as a major reform designed to simplify cargo clearance processes through the digital integration of government agencies and port operations.
The minister further revealed that existing ports would undergo comprehensive upgrades, including channel deepening, to enable them accommodate larger vessels and handle increased trade volumes.
Speaking on maritime security, Oyetola said the implementation of the Deep Blue Project had successfully eliminated piracy in Nigerian waters and drastically reduced maritime crimes across the Gulf of Guinea, thereby restoring investor confidence and strengthening the region’s attractiveness for international maritime commerce.
He urged delegates at the PMAWCA meeting to champion initiatives that would improve logistical resilience, encourage sustainable port management, promote innovation and digital transformation, and ensure inclusive community development within the maritime industry.
In his welcome address, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and President of PMAWCA, Abubakar Dantsoho, said West and Central Africa is witnessing a significant wave of maritime infrastructure investment, with over $27 billion worth of port projects either ongoing or recently announced across the sub-region.
Dantsoho highlighted several major projects, including the $20 billion Simandou-Morebaya Deep Sea Port project in Guinea, the $2 billion Port San Pedro project in Côte d’Ivoire, the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Sea Port, as well as port developments in Ghana and Senegal.
He also pointed to ongoing upgrades at Nigeria’s Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, alongside a $600 million investment by APM Terminals.
According to him, ports in West and Central Africa must evolve beyond their traditional role as cargo gateways and become catalysts for wider blue economy growth in areas such as renewable marine energy, aquaculture, sustainable fisheries, coastal tourism and marine biotechnology.
The three-day event, scheduled to run from May 18 to 20, 2026, attracted several dignitaries, including the Governor of Taraba State, Kefas Agbu; Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, representing the state governor; Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; and Special Adviser on Policy Coordination to the President, Hadiza Bala Usman, among others.
