In other to compete favourably with contemporaries in the West and Central Africa, the federal government has unveiled plans to dredge the Warri Port in Delta State, Rivers Port and Onne Port in Rivers State, and Calabar Port in Cross River State to a minimum depth of 16 metres to accommodate larger vessels and enhance competitiveness in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this in Abuja while receiving a delegation from the South South Development Commission (SSDC), led by its managing director, Usoro Akpabio.
Oyetola said the dredging would attract bigger ships, reduce cargo handling costs, and boost trade volumes, thereby lowering the cost of doing business and increasing government revenue.
He added that the ports would also undergo modernisation under the federal government’s port development programme.
According to him, the South-South region remains pivotal in Nigeria’s quest to harness the full potential of the marine and blue economy, given its strategic coastline, seaports, and aquatic resources.
The minister further revealed that the federal government was collaborating with state governments in the region to develop new deep seaports including Agge in Bayelsa, Ibom in Akwa Ibom, Bakassi in Cross River, and Bonny in Rivers State to position Nigeria as a regional maritime hub.
Oyetola also urged state governments to leverage the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway for the development of coastal tourism, which he said could generate sustainable income for communities, create jobs, and attract visitors.
He highlighted the roles of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron and the Nigeria Maritime University in Okerenkoko in building human capacity for the marine sector, adding that the Ministry is also working to boost fish production and reduce dependence on importation.
He called on Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, noting that the recently approved National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy provides a roadmap for sustainable ocean resource management, job creation, and wealth generation.
Earlier, SSDC managing director Ms Akpabio commended Oyetola’s leadership and pledged the commission’s partnership with the ministry’s to implement blue economy projects that will drive growth and improve livelihoods in the South-South region.
She proposed the creation of a joint working team between the Ministry and the Commission to ensure coordinated implementation of programmes across the region. She was accompanied on the visit by three members of the SSDC Board — Engr Chika Chinda, Rt Hon Larry Odey and Hon Tabitha Salah.
