FG Approves Five New Deep Seaports to Reclaim Cargo Lost to Rival African Ports

The Federal Government has approved the certification and compliance processes for five proposed deep seaport projects spread across Nigeria’s coastal states, in a major push to recover the significant volume of Nigerian-bound cargo that continues to flow through ports in neighbouring African countries instead of through Nigeria’s own gateways.

The five approved projects are: the Badagry Deep Sea Port in Lagos State, the Olokola Deep Sea Port in Ondo State, the Ibom Deep Sea Port in Akwa Ibom State, the Bakassi Deep Sea Port in Cross River State, and the Bonny Deep Sea Port in Rivers State.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, while declaring open the mid-year session of the Board of Directors of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) in Lagos on Monday, May 18, 2026. “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 stated.

The Cargo Diversion Problem

The urgency behind the approvals is rooted in a damaging pattern that has persisted for decades. Despite accounting for over 60 per cent of West Africa’s Gross Domestic Product, Nigeria currently handles only about 25 per cent of the region’s cargo traffic a disparity that the Nigerian Ports Authority’s Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, has described as evidence that the country has not fully optimised its maritime potential.

The situation is worsening. A recent advisory by the Sectoral Economic Research and Enlightenment Centre warned that if current trends persist, between 15 and 25 per cent of Nigeria-bound cargo could be diverted to neighbouring ports within the next 12 to 24 months. “This is not a theoretical risk, it is already happening,” the report stated. “Cargo flows to where systems work best, not necessarily where geography dictates.”

Analysts warn that the consequences could include revenue leakage from lost customs duties and port charges, distortion of national trade data, job losses within the logistics sector, and a broader erosion of Nigeria’s strategic maritime position.

Bakassi: A Blueprint Already in Motion

Of the five projects, the Bakassi Deep Sea Port in Cross River State is the most advanced. The Federal Executive Council previously approved the project, with Oyetola personally presenting the certificate of compliance to Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu. The minister described the Bakassi Deep Sea Port as a strategic national asset aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Bakassi Deep Sea Port, a greenfield development, is designed to accommodate large vessels, integrate an industrial cluster, and establish a Free Trade Zone — creating thousands of jobs and boosting Nigeria’s maritime competitiveness.

Upgrading Existing Ports in Parallel

The new seaport approvals run alongside a broader maritime overhaul already underway. Nigeria secured a landmark £746 million financing agreement with UK Export Finance to fund the comprehensive modernisation of the Lagos Port Complex in Apapa and the Tin Can Island Port Complex the most ambitious port upgrade in nearly half a century. Together, the two facilities handle more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s imports and exports.

Beyond Lagos, procurement processes are also ongoing for rehabilitation works at Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne, and Calabar ports, as the Federal Government frames its maritime strategy as a nationwide initiative rather than a Lagos-focused one.

The Competition Is Watching

The latest approvals come amid growing investments in the regional maritime sector, with over $27 billion worth of port projects currently ongoing or recently announced across West and Central Africa.

Dantsoho has been direct about what is at stake: “Nigeria’s geographical advantage alone is no longer sufficient. Efficiency, speed, innovation and reliability will define leadership in this new era.”

With five new deep seaports now cleared for development alongside a multibillion-dollar upgrade of its existing facilities, Nigeria is making its most concerted bid in a generation to become what its size and geography have always suggested it should be — the undisputed maritime gateway of West and Central Africa.