The Federal Government is moving to ease pressure on Lagos ports as the Ogun State Government and global ports operator DP World signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for the development of the Gateway Deep Sea Port and Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone in Paris on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The projects are expected to attract more than $7 billion in initial investment and create over 50,000 direct jobs when fully developed.
Key Highlights
- Gateway Deep Sea Port will be developed at Ogun Waterside.
- The proposed port will have a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft.
- The project is designed to ease pressure on Lagos ports, including Apapa and Tin Can Island.
- Ogun Blue Marine Special Economic Zone will cover about 10,000 hectares.
- The combined projects are expected to attract more than $7 billion in initial investment.
- More than 50,000 direct jobs are projected when the projects are fully developed.
Gateway Deep Sea Port Targets Lagos Port Congestion
The proposed Gateway Deep Sea Port will be located at Ogun Waterside and is planned with a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft. The design is intended to allow the facility to accommodate larger vessels and provide an alternative gateway for cargo currently passing through the Lagos port corridor.
The Federal Government expects the new port to ease pressure on the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, where congestion and logistics bottlenecks have contributed to delays and increased the cost of moving goods.
President Bola Tinubu said Nigeria’s strategic position in West African trade has been constrained by port congestion, inadequate draft capacity and logistics challenges.
The proposed Ogun facility is also expected to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to participate in regional and continental trade, including through the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Ogun Blue Marine Economic Zone To Cover 10,000 Hectares
The Gateway Deep Sea Port will be integrated with the proposed Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, which is planned to cover about 10,000 hectares.
The zone is expected to support manufacturing, processing, logistics and export-oriented businesses, creating an industrial base close to the new maritime facility.
According to the Federal Government, the integrated model will allow imported inputs to be processed into finished products while Nigerian raw materials can be processed for domestic consumption and export.
Tinubu described the relationship between the port and economic zone as central to the project’s industrial objectives: “A port moves cargo; a port integrated with a special economic zone helps to build an economy. Each reinforces the other.”
The government expects the arrangement to support economic diversification and increase opportunities for non-oil exports.
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Federal Government Promises Infrastructure Support
President Tinubu assured investors that the Federal Government would provide regulatory and institutional support to move the projects from agreements to implementation.
He said the government would facilitate road, rail and power connectivity, strengthen investment security and remove unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles.
The President also identified the Ogun section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as an important transport link for the emerging port and industrial corridor. The 28-kilometre Ogun section is expected to connect the proposed port and economic zone with Lagos, the Nigerian hinterland and other markets.
DP World Deal Expected To Create 50,000 Jobs
The Ogun State Government and DP World said the projects are expected to attract more than $7 billion in initial investment and create more than 50,000 direct jobs when fully developed.
The projected employment will span maritime services, logistics, manufacturing, processing and other businesses expected to operate around the port and special economic zone.
The agreements were signed in Paris by representatives of the Ogun State Government and DP World. Governor Dapo Abiodun led the Ogun delegation, while the ceremony was witnessed by President Tinubu.
Also present were Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola, Nigerian Ports Authority Managing Director Abubakar Dantsoho, DP World Group Chief Executive Officer Yuvraj Narayan and other officials.
What The Ogun Deep Sea Port Means For Lagos Ports
The proposed Gateway Deep Sea Port is part of broader efforts to expand Nigeria’s maritime capacity and address infrastructure and logistics constraints around the Lagos port corridor.
If implemented as planned, the facility could provide additional cargo-handling capacity, accommodate larger vessels and create another route for goods entering and leaving Nigeria.
However, the MoUs represent an investment and development milestone rather than completion of the projects. Their eventual economic impact will depend on financing, construction, supporting infrastructure, regulatory approvals and the pace of implementation.
The Federal Government and Ogun State Government will now be expected to work with DP World and other stakeholders to translate the agreements into the infrastructure and industrial facilities outlined in the investment framework.
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