The Ogun State Government has signed Memoranda of Understanding with DP World MEA FZE for the development of the Gateway Deep Sea Port and the 10,000-hectare Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone.
The agreements were signed in Paris, France, on Thursday, September 24, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu witnessing the ceremony. The projects are expected to attract an initial investment of more than $7 billion and create over 50,000 direct jobs when fully developed.
The proposed Gateway Deep Sea Port will be located in Ogun Waterside and is planned to feature a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, allowing it to accommodate larger vessels and provide an alternative gateway for cargo currently moving through the Lagos port corridor.
The port will be integrated with the 10,000-hectare Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, which is designed to support manufacturing, processing, logistics, maritime services and export-oriented industries. The Federal Government said the development is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s non-oil export capacity and attract further investment.
The Ogun section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is expected to provide a 28-kilometre transport link to the port and economic zone, connecting the corridor with Lagos and the Nigerian hinterland. The projects are also expected to connect with other planned infrastructure, including the Gateway International Airport and dry ports.
President Tinubu assured investors of regulatory clarity and policy stability, while saying the Federal Government would support road, rail and power connectivity, maritime security and other infrastructure required to move the agreements into implementation.
Governor Dapo Abiodun said the projects would strengthen Ogun’s industrial and logistics capacity, stimulate SMEs and supply chains, expand export opportunities and create a new maritime and industrial corridor around Ogun Waterside.
The development marks a major step in Ogun State’s long-standing plans for a deep seaport and an integrated industrial corridor linking maritime infrastructure with manufacturing, logistics and international trade.