Blue Economy
FG Clears Five Deep Seaports for Investment in Bold Push to Recapture Nigeria’s Stolen Cargo
FG Clears Five Deep Seaports for Investment in Bold Push to Recapture Nigeria’s Stolen Cargo
NPA Boss Confirms Approvals, Certifications and Compliance Processes Completed for Badagry, Olokola, Ibom, Bakassi and Bonny Projects as Nigeria Bleeds Over $3.5bn Annually to Neighbouring Ports
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Correspondent | Lagos
The Federal Government of Nigeria has completed the approvals, certifications and regulatory compliance processes for five proposed deep seaport projects spread across the country’s coastline, in a determined effort to reclaim more than 70 per cent of Nigerian-bound cargo currently being handled by ports in neighbouring West African nations.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, confirmed the development at the close of a three-day meeting of Managing Directors of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), Member Ports and the Port Statisticians Network held in Lagos. Dantsoho, who also serves as President of PMAWCA, disclosed that the five cleared projects are the Badagry Deep Sea Port in Lagos State, Olokola Deep Sea Port in Ondo State, Ibom Deep Sea Port in Akwa Ibom State, Bakassi Deep Sea Port in Cross River State, and Bonny Deep Sea Port in Rivers State.
Dantsoho noted that while investor negotiations remain ongoing given the enormous financial commitments such projects demand, the government has already laid the regulatory and administrative groundwork necessary for implementation. “In terms of approvals, certifications and compliance issues, we have taken care of five different deep-sea ports in Nigeria,” he stated.
The Five Projects at a Glance
The five cleared seaport projects represent a multi-billion dollar infrastructure programme spanning Nigeria’s southern coastline from west to east:
Badagry Deep Sea Port — Lagos State: Estimated to cost $2.59 billion, the Badagry project has received FEC approval and is projected to create approximately 250,000 jobs and attract significant foreign direct investment. It is expected to generate a total of $53.6 billion in revenue over a 45-year concession period. The project is structured in four phases under a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) Public-Private Partnership model and is designed as a full-scale greenfield commercial deep seaport conceived to augment Nigeria’s existing port capacity and open new trade facilitation channels.
Olokola Deep Sea Port — Ondo State: President Tinubu has granted approval for the immediate take-off of the Olokola Deep Seaport in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, to be developed as the Blue Marine Economic Zone within the Olokola Free Trade Zone, approximately 100 kilometres from Lagos. Dangote Group has commenced development of the 10,000-hectare facility, with its backers positioning it as a key gateway for Nigerian exports and imports and a boost to the country’s competitiveness in regional and global trade.
Ibom Deep Sea Port — Akwa Ibom State: Designed for very large vessels, the Ibom Deep Sea Port is conceived as a transshipment port from which smaller vessels will redistribute cargo from mother vessels to river ports closer to consignees within Nigeria and in neighbouring countries. The project, valued at $4.6 billion, previously received Federal Executive Council approval of $2.016 billion in 2020.
Bakassi Deep Sea Port — Cross River State: The Bakassi Deep Seaport has received its Certificate of Compliance following Federal Executive Council approval. The Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Mr. Jobson Ewalefoh, described it as a game-changer for Nigeria’s maritime and logistics ecosystem that would serve as a new maritime gateway for the country’s North-Central and North-East regions, while positioning Nigeria as a major logistics hub for West and Central Africa. Cross River State Governor Senator Bassey Otu described the milestone as historic, stressing that the state is strategically positioned to play a leading role in Nigeria’s maritime development.
Bonny Deep Sea Port — Rivers State: The Bonny Deep Sea Port is a greenfield development project sited at the southwest tip of Bonny Island, approximately 1.4 kilometres from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) facility, and is to be developed in two phases at an estimated total cost of $2 billion. Phase one includes two 8,000 TEU container berths, a general purpose berth and an oil service berth.
The Bleeding Wound: Nigeria’s Cargo Haemorrhage
The push to fast-track these projects comes against a backdrop of staggering economic losses driven by the chronic inefficiency of Nigeria’s existing port infrastructure. Annually, no fewer than $3.5 billion worth of Nigerian-bound cargoes are diverted to neighbouring ports, with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council estimating that 75 per cent of goods handled at neighbouring ports are actually intended for Nigeria.
Maritime expert and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olisa Agbakoba, citing analysis by Dutch consultancy firm Dynanmar, has warned that while 80 per cent of all containers headed to West and Central Africa are destined for Nigeria, less than 20 per cent actually arrive through Nigerian ports. The remainder flows to Cotonou in Benin Republic, Tema in Ghana, and Lomé in Togo.
The financial cost of this failure is enormous. Nigeria loses approximately N20 billion every day at its seaports due to poor infrastructure and the inefficiencies that frustrate cargo movement. PwC Nigeria estimates that port inefficiencies cost the economy N2.5 trillion annually in lost revenue, while the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry puts business losses from delays and port-related expenses alone at approximately $10 billion every year.
A fresh warning has come from the Sea Empowerment Research Centre (SEREC), whose April 2026 policy advisory painted a troubling picture of the first quarter of the year. The report noted that cargo dwell time has exceeded 15 days on average, while vessel turnaround ranges between four and six days — far above global best practices. It also recorded a decline of between 8 and 12 per cent in non-oil exports, signalling a gradual loss of competitiveness in Nigeria’s export sector. SEREC warned that ports along the Cotonou–Lomé corridor are increasingly attracting Nigerian-bound cargo due to lower costs, faster clearance times, and more predictable regulatory environments, and that between 15 and 25 per cent of Nigeria-bound cargo could shift to these neighbouring ports within the next 12 to 24 months if reforms are not urgently implemented.
Reform Momentum and What Comes Next
Despite the gravity of the cargo diversion problem, there are signs of momentum. The NPA’s 2025 Operational Performance Report showed that total cargo throughput surged by 24.8 per cent, rising from approximately 103.6 million metric tonnes in 2024 to over 129.3 million metric tonnes — one of the most significant annual increases in Nigeria’s maritime history.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, told the PMAWCA mid-year session that the Tinubu administration is also upgrading existing seaports through infrastructure modernisation, digital transformation, and channel deepening projects aimed at accommodating larger vessels, and that coordinated reforms and stronger collaboration among government agencies have contributed to improved cargo evacuation, reduced vessel waiting time, and a more predictable business environment for port users and investors.
The minister also pointed to the National Single Window initiative as a key reform expected to streamline cargo clearance through digital integration of port operations and government agencies.
Nigeria Watch
The regulatory clearance of all five deep seaport projects is an important milestone, but the shipping and logistics community must read it with clear eyes. The compliance certificates and FEC approvals represent the beginning of a process, not the end of one. As The Guardian reported in December 2025, several of these same projects have stalled for years — even decades — due to investor fatigue and a financing gap that analysts estimate at over $14 billion.
The critical variable is not regulatory paperwork but committed private capital. With each deep seaport costing a minimum of $2 billion to develop and global shipping lines demanding hinterland connectivity guarantees before committing vessel calls, Nigeria’s port expansion ambitions will stand or fall on its ability to close the investment gap. Freight forwarders, terminal operators, and shipping agents operating out of Apapa and Tin Can Island should watch closely for investor announcements, concession agreements, and ground-breaking timelines — those will be the true indicators of whether this latest push translates into operational infrastructure or joins the long list of announced-but-undelivered port projects that have defined Nigeria’s maritime story for the past two decades.
$200m Fish Lifeline: FG Taps World Bank Funds to Push States Towards Fish Sufficiency
Oyetola Sets Sights on Net Exporter Status as FG Secures $200m World Bank Backing for State-Led Aquaculture
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News
The Federal Government says it has secured a $200 million commitment from the World Bank Group to drive fisheries and aquaculture production nationwide, as it moves to cut fish imports and close a supply gap of more than 2.2 million tonnes.
The money will be lent to state governments on concessional terms. It is meant to help them expand fish production, attract investment and build viable aquaculture projects.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, announced this at an Executive Training on the Aquaculture Investment Guide, organised by his ministry with the World Bank Group in Abuja. He was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy, Professor Busayo Fakinlede.
Oyetola said fish is central to food security, household nutrition and rural livelihoods, and that Nigeria cannot be food secure while importing most of its fish. He said the goal is to “produce more, import less” and eventually become a net exporter, which he said requires every state to play its part.
The numbers
Nigeria needs about 3.6 million tonnes of fish a year but produces roughly 1.4 million tonnes. Imports cover the gap and cost nearly $1 billion annually in foreign exchange.
State-driven framework
Under the ministry’s framework, each state is expected to:
identify priority aquaculture value chains
assess investment readiness
develop bankable project pipelines
commit to measurable contributions to national fish output
The training brought together commissioners from Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River States, plus permanent secretaries and directors of fisheries and aquaculture from across the federation. It covered business models, risk management, environmental and social safeguards, and public-private partnerships.
A Federal-State interface is also planned to coordinate a national fish security strategy.
Oyetola commended the World Bank for its support on analytical studies, cluster-based development, capacity building and the Aquaculture Investment Guide. He will oversee a post-training stakeholders’ roundtable with states and other stakeholders to sustain momentum.
Ministry’s scorecard
Fakinlede credited the minister’s leadership for:
the August 2026 inauguration of the Technical Committee on Accelerating Fish Production
digitisation of fish import licensing
a rise in national output from 1.1 million to 1.4 million tonnes
US shrimp-export certification after compliance with Turtle Excluder Device requirements
the Fish City and Fish Terminal investment portfolio to attract private capital
NIGERIA WATCH
Read the fine print. As of 9 November, I could not find a published World Bank project document for the $200 million, and the figure rests on the ministry’s statement. The repayment period, interest rate, per-state allocation and disbursement date have not been made public, and it is unclear whether this is new money or part of financing already agreed. Waterways News should press the ministry on these before treating the figure as settled.
Loans, not grants. States carry the debt and must show bankable projects. Strong states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River, whose commissioners attended, sit on the water and are best placed to benefit. Inland and riverine communities lacking project-preparation capacity risk being left behind.
The missing small operators. The framework speaks of investors, PPPs and bankable pipelines. It says little about artisanal fishers, boat operators and fishing communities, including those represented by WABOTAN and ATBOWATON, who supply and move much of the country’s fish. Without cold chains, landing jetties, safe water transport and affordable engines, higher production will not reach markets.
Policy versus delivery. The target is ambitious, with output reportedly up from 1.1 million to 1.4 million tonnes. Yet Nigeria still meets under 40 per cent of its fish demand, and it has heard similar promises before, from the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund onward. The test is whether the roundtable produces dates, allocations and measurable state commitments.
Blue Economy
Oyetola Takes Nigeria’s Case on Gulf of Guinea Security and Seafarer Welfare to IMO Council in London
Oyetola Takes Nigeria’s Case on Gulf of Guinea Security and Seafarer Welfare to IMO Council in London
Minister says seafarers must not become casualties of geopolitical disputes as Nigeria presses for stronger technical support for developing maritime nations
By Ighoyota Onaibre | Waterways News
Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has restated the country’s commitment to safe, secure and sustainable international shipping. He is leading a high-level delegation to the 138th session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council in London.
The five-day session opened on November 2 at the IMO headquarters and ends today, November 6, 2026. Nigeria’s participation is meant to strengthen its voice in global maritime governance and to advance the interests of developing maritime nations.
Nigeria sits on the 40-member Council under Category C. The session is considering the protection of vital shipping routes, the welfare and safety of seafarers, institutional governance and the sustainability of the global maritime industry.
Protecting vital shipping lanes
A central issue is the protection of strategic shipping routes against growing security threats and attacks on commercial vessels in high-risk zones. Under Agenda Item 11, “Protection of Vital Shipping Lanes,” Nigeria is expected to draw on its experience combating piracy and maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea to push for stronger international cooperation and coordinated security responses.
“Nigeria recognises that the challenges confronting the global maritime industry require collective action, stronger international cooperation and effective regulatory frameworks,” Oyetola said. He added that Nigeria was at the Council to see its interests represented and to contribute to solutions that strengthen maritime security, protect seafarers and promote sustainable shipping.
He said the progress made in the Gulf of Guinea showed that maritime insecurity can be tackled “through political commitment, effective coordination and cooperation among regional and international partners.”
Seafarer welfare
Seafarer welfare is also high on the agenda. This follows IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez’s condemnation of the use of seafarers as pawns in geopolitical disputes. Nigeria is backing measures to prevent the arbitrary detention and abandonment of seafarers, and to ensure their fair treatment, safe repatriation and mental well-being.
“Seafarers are the lifeblood of international shipping,” Oyetola said. “Their safety, dignity and welfare must never be compromised by geopolitical tensions.”
Budget and capacity building
The Council is also reviewing financial allocations for the 2026–2027 biennium and strategic priorities for 2028–2029. Nigeria sees this as an opening to push for more technical cooperation and capacity-building support for developing maritime countries.
Oyetola said developing maritime nations “must have access to the technical expertise, institutional support and investment opportunities required to participate meaningfully in the evolving global shipping industry.”
The delegation
The minister is accompanied by:
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs. Fatima Mahmood
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola
The Director of Maritime Services, Mr. Oyinloye Meshack
Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative at the IMO, Mr. William Bwala
Nigeria Watch
A heavy session. The Council has dealt with more than Nigeria’s agenda this week. Other delegations have also pressed seafarer protection and freedom of navigation, with Liberia and Indonesia among the countries that raised them. The session has also given attention to security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea. On Wednesday, the Council recommended a second four-year term for Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, running from 2028 to 2031. The IMO Assembly must still approve it in 2027. Nigeria’s message on the Gulf of Guinea has been delivered in a crowded room.
Hormuz is a Nigerian issue. This newsroom has followed the Strait of Hormuz crisis closely, from rising freight rates to war-risk insurance premiums at Nigerian ports. Oyetola’s call to shield seafarers from geopolitical tension is not abstract. Dominguez has said thousands of seafarers in the region live and work under heightened risk, and the IMO’s tally of seafarers killed in the region since February stood at 24 as of November 5.
Where the Gulf of Guinea story stands. Nigeria is presenting its Gulf of Guinea record as a model, and the Deep Blue Project is the backbone of that claim. NIMASA has just showcased upgraded assets at AFRIDEX 2026. Delegates in London will weigh the narrative against what stakeholders at home actually experience on the water.
The home test. Nigeria’s arguments at the IMO for seafarer dignity, fair treatment and capacity-building support will carry weight in proportion to how well they are matched at home.
Questions that Waterways News continues to raise:
Do Nigerian seafarers and inland waterway workers enjoy the safety and welfare standards the minister is championing abroad?
Will the technical cooperation Nigeria is seeking reach small-scale and informal waterway operators, such as those under WABOTAN and ATBOWATON, or stay at the policy level?
With Nigeria holding a Council seat, how will diplomatic wins in London be turned into delivery at home, from CVFF disbursement to NPERA implementation?
Waterways News will keep tracking the outcome of the 138th Council session and what it means for Nigerian maritime stakeholders.
Blue Economy
NIWA Deploys Enforcers to Niger Waterfronts as Boat Operators Cry Out Over Life Jacket Shortage
NIWA Deploys Enforcers to Niger Waterfronts as Boat Operators Cry Out Over Life Jacket Shortage
Operators say a 300-seater has only seven jackets, and ask for prices to drop from N20,000 to as low as N5,000
By Raymond Gold | Waterways News
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has sent enforcement personnel to waterfronts across Niger State to make life jacket use compulsory and ensure compliance with inland waterways safety rules.
NIWA’s Minna Area Manager, Akapo Adeboye, announced this at the 2026 Sensitisation and Enlightenment Campaign on Inland Waterways Regulations at Zumba Waterfront, Shiroro Local Government Area. The campaign theme was “Total Safety Measures and Compliance on the Nation’s Inland Waterways.”
Adeboye said NIWA has given 3,500 life jackets to boat operators at waterfronts across the state. He was troubled, however, that some operators neither wear the jackets nor provide them for passengers during trips.
He also condemned operators who charge passengers extra to use a life jacket, saying this discourages compliance. He said the safety of lives and property remains a priority of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and that operators and passengers alike must wear life jackets before boarding. Violators, he warned, will face the full weight of the law.
Some operators at the event said scarcity and cost make full compliance impossible.
Adamu Gunduma said his boat carries 300 passengers but he has seven life jackets, one of them for himself. The other six go to passengers on a first-come, first-served basis.
Adamu Tanko said his 150-passenger boat has three life jackets.
Saidu Sani said his 40-passenger boat has none, for himself or his passengers.
Abubakar Mamman-Kwanu appealed to government and other stakeholders for more jackets through donations and support programmes.
The operators said a life jacket costs about N20,000 on the market and asked authorities to bring the price down to between N5,000 and N6,000. They added that high prices and falling farm-produce prices could keep many farmers from buying one. Farmers, they said, make up a large share of water transport users in the area. They called for stronger government intervention, arguing that easier access to life jackets would improve compliance and prevent avoidable deaths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) first reported the development on Monday.
Nigeria Watch
Enforcement is arriving before supply. Gunduma, Tanko and Sani together operate boats licensed for 490 passengers, yet they reported 10 life jackets between them. Telling such operators to refuse boarding without a jacket is, for now, an order they cannot obey. Cheap jackets must reach waterfronts before penalties are enforced, or enforcement will fall hardest on the poorest operators.
NIWA has also faced a misuse problem. Adeboye said in an earlier interview that people sell the jackets, use them as pillows or farm tools. He said that when his team revisited a waterfront after a 3,500-jacket flag-off, they could not find one in use. Both complaints can be true at once, and the way out is a mix of local ownership, fitting by boat capacity and visible checks by marshals.
The stakes are real and well documented. After a July 2025 mishap at Zumba, Adeboye said 26 passengers wearing life jackets were rescued alive, 15 bodies were recovered and three people were missing. He noted that the incident came eight days after a NIWA sensitization campaign at the same waterfront.
Marshals and penalties are already in place. Waterways marshals were inaugurated at Zumba to enforce transport regulations. Adeboye has also said NIWA gazetted penalty codes for operators and passengers who fail to comply. The open question is whether operators get realistic access to compliance before sanctions bite.
Questions for NIWA and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy:
How many jackets are needed to cover the licensed capacity of boats at Niger waterfronts, against the 3,500 supplied?
Can bulk procurement or local assembly bring the N20,000 price down?
Will NIWA publish compliance figures and sanctions issued after the campaign?
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