The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, on Monday said Nigeria was expanding its port infrastructure and implementing major maritime reforms aimed at positioning the country as the leading trade and logistics hub in West and Central Africa.
Oyetola made this known while declaring open the Mid-Year Session of the Board of Directors of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The meeting, themed “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development,” brought together maritime stakeholders, policymakers, investors and industry leaders from across the region.
Speaking at the event, the minister disclosed that the Federal Government had approved the development of additional deep seaports across the country as part of efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global maritime sector.
“Approvals have therefore been granted for the development of additional deep seaports across the country to complement existing infrastructure, strengthen supply chain resilience, and reinforce Nigeria’s position as the preferred maritime and logistics hub for West and Central Africa,” Oyetola said.
He added that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained committed to modernising Nigeria’s ports through infrastructure upgrades, digital transformation and operational reforms.
According to him, coordinated policy interventions and stronger collaboration among government agencies had helped reduce logistics bottlenecks at major seaports across the country.
“These efforts have contributed to improved cargo evacuation, reduced vessel waiting time, greater operational efficiency, and a more predictable business environment for port users and investors,” he said.
Oyetola described the Federal Government’s National Single Window initiative as a major reform designed to streamline cargo clearance processes through the digital integration of government agencies and port operations.
He also disclosed that existing seaports would undergo comprehensive upgrades, including channel deepening projects aimed at attracting larger vessels and increasing cargo-handling capacity.
“These upgrades are critical to ensuring that our ports remain globally competitive and capable of supporting larger volumes of trade in the years ahead,” the minister stated.
On maritime security, Oyetola said the implementation of the Deep Blue Project had eliminated piracy in Nigerian waters and drastically reduced maritime crimes across the Gulf of Guinea.
He noted that the development had restored investor confidence and strengthened the region’s attractiveness as a secure maritime corridor for international commerce.
The minister further urged delegates at the meeting to support initiatives that would “strengthen logistical resilience in port operations and regional supply chains,” while also promoting sustainable port management, innovation, digital transformation and inclusive community development tied to maritime activities.
In his welcome address, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and President of PMAWCA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, said West and Central Africa was witnessing renewed investment in maritime infrastructure, with more than $27 billion worth of port projects underway 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 in Lagos, as well as port developments in Ghana and Senegal.
He also pointed to ongoing investments in Nigeria’s Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, alongside a $600 million investment by APM Terminals.
According to Dantsoho, ports in West and Central Africa must evolve beyond their traditional role as cargo gateways to become drivers of broader blue economy development.
“The future of the sector lies in areas such as renewable marine energy, aquaculture, sustainable fisheries, coastal tourism and marine biotechnology,” he said.
The three-day event, scheduled to run from May 18 to May 20, 2026, was attended by Governor Kefas Agbu of Taraba State; the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; and the President’s Special Adviser on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, among other dignitaries and maritime stakeholders.
