On Monday, January 22, 2023, President Muhammadu Buhari officially commissioned the $1.5 billion newly completed Lekki Deep Seaport located at the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State.
Speaking at the official commissioning, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said the Lekki Deep Seaport is the largest in West Africa, and will generate thousands of jobs for Nigerians.
Sanwo-Olu said the port project is a collaboration between the Federal Government and Lagos State government as well as the private sector stakeholders.
Sanwo-Olu thanked the President for his commitment to development of the project and appreciated all those contributed immensely to bringing the project to reality.
Earlier in his address, Mohammed Bello-Koko, the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said the port with a depth of 16.5 metres will enable bigger vessels and more cargos to come into the port with economies of scale, which will bring down the cost of doing business.
The port, he said, will not only create employment but will be more efficient than other ports in Nigeria and a model for port development in Nigeria.
He said that the NPA will be the regulator and had acquired the equipment needed for the provision of marine services for safe berthing of vessels at Lekki.
“We already have interest from a certain neighbouring African country that wants to move its cargoes from Lekki Port through Dala Inland Dry Port in Kano to the the African country because the country has seen the possibility of smooth operations and efficiency at Lekki Port, ” he added.
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