Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, says the planned $7 billion Gateway Deep Sea Port and Blue Marine Special Economic Zone will reshape the state’s economy by expanding trade, manufacturing and investment.
The projects are being developed through agreements between the Ogun State Government and global ports and logistics operator DP World, with the investment expected to create more than 50,000 direct jobs when fully developed. ThisDayLive
The agreements were signed in Paris, France, in the presence of President Bola Tinubu and senior Nigerian officials.
Abiodun described the development as a major step towards strengthening Ogun’s position in Nigeria’s maritime and industrial economy.
According to the governor, the deep seaport will serve as more than a facility for receiving ships, providing a gateway through which goods produced in Ogun and other parts of Nigeria can reach African and international markets.
He said the project would support small and medium-sized businesses, strengthen supply chains, expand export capacity and attract foreign direct investment into the state. ThisDayLive
The proposed port at Ogun Waterside is expected to feature a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, allowing it to accommodate larger vessels and potentially ease pressure on the Lagos port corridor.
The project is also expected to reduce some of the logistics challenges facing importers and exporters by providing another major maritime gateway.
Alongside the seaport, the 10,000-hectare Blue Marine Special Economic Zone is expected to provide space for manufacturing, processing, logistics and other industrial activities.
Abiodun said the economic zone would provide a platform for capital, technology, innovation and talent, linking maritime infrastructure with industrial production.
The development is also expected to connect with other major infrastructure projects, including the Gateway International Airport, dry ports and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
President Tinubu said the 28-kilometre Ogun section of the coastal highway would provide an important connection between the emerging port and industrial corridor and the wider Nigerian economy. Gazette Post Nigeria
For Ogun, the development represents an attempt to turn its coastal location into a stronger economic advantage.
Abiodun said the state’s ambition was to build an integrated system capable of supporting trade, logistics, manufacturing and technology rather than developing the seaport as a standalone project.
The Federal Government has also pledged to support road, rail and power connectivity, while providing regulatory clarity and investment security around the projects. ThisDayLive
However, Abiodun stressed that the impact of the agreements would ultimately depend on implementation.
He said the focus must now shift from signing agreements to delivering the infrastructure and ensuring that the projects generate the expected economic opportunities.
With more than $7 billion in proposed initial investment and over 50,000 projected direct jobs, the Gateway Deep Sea Port and Blue Marine Special Economic Zone are positioned as major components of Ogun’s plan to expand its industrial and maritime economy. The Guardian Nigeria
Sources: THISDAY report · The Guardian report · Worldstage report
