Gateway Deep Seaport, 10,000-Hectare Blue Marine Zone Projected to Create Over 50,000 Direct Jobs
By Chioma Vivian James. Thursday, September 24, 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured domestic and international investors that the Federal Government will continue to provide regulatory clarity, policy stability and a predictable business environment to support long-term investments and accelerate Nigeria’s economic transformation.
The President gave the assurance in Paris, France, where the Ogun State Government and DP World, one of the world’s leading port and logistics operators, signed Memoranda of Understanding for the development of the Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone and the Gateway Deep Seaport.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the agreements represent a major step towards establishing an integrated maritime, industrial and logistics corridor capable of strengthening Nigeria’s position in regional and global trade.
Governor Dapo Abiodun led the Ogun State delegation to the signing ceremony. The delegation included the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi; the Commissioners for Finance, Works, Industry, Trade and Investment, and Transport; as well as a representative of the host community.
Also present were the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; Nigeria’s Ambassador to France, Emmanuel Ayodele Oke; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho; Group Chief Executive Officer of DP World, Yuvraj Narayan; Managing Director of SkyKapital, Karim Noujaim; and Senior Vice President, Business Development, Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Office of DP World, Mohammed Rashid Ismail.
President Tinubu described the agreements as a convergence of vision, expertise, capital and execution capacity, commending DP World and other investors for their commitment to the projects.
“The agreements before us bring together vision, expertise, capital and execution capacity. I particularly welcome DP World, one of the world’s leading port and logistics operators. I also acknowledge our financial advisers, Sky Capital, and all the investors and partners whose commitment has brought us to this important stage,” the President said.
Tinubu assured investors that the Federal Government would provide the necessary regulatory and institutional support to ensure that the projects move seamlessly from agreements to implementation.
He also stressed that all parties to the agreements would be held accountable for their commitments, describing the development as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to attract foreign direct investment, expand productive capacity and establish the country as a major hub for maritime trade, logistics, manufacturing and exports.
Deep-Sea Port to Ease Pressure on Lagos Ports
The proposed Gateway Deep Seaport at Ogun Waterside is designed with a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, features expected to enable it to accommodate larger, deeper-draft vessels serving modern international commerce.
The port is expected to help decongest the Lagos port corridor and reduce pressure on the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, while cutting transportation costs and delays for importers, exporters and consumers.
Beyond serving Nigeria, the facility is expected to provide a competitive trade and logistics gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area, strengthening the country’s capacity to serve a continental market of approximately 1.4 billion people.
The accompanying Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone is proposed to cover about 10,000 hectares, creating space for industrial, manufacturing, logistics and export-oriented activities.
President Tinubu disclosed that the agreements envisage an initial investment of more than $7 billion in the Nigerian economy.
At full development, the projects are projected to generate more than 50,000 direct jobs, alongside numerous indirect employment and business opportunities across the value chain.
According to the President, the projects will also generate substantial non-oil export earnings by transforming Nigerian creativity, raw materials and productive capacity into competitive goods for international markets.
“This is economic diversification made tangible. This is industrialisation made visible. This is Renewed Hope in action,” Tinubu said.
He commended Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Ogun State Government for securing the land, structuring the investment framework and reducing project risks for international investors.
The President described the collaboration between the Federal Government and Ogun State as an example of cooperative federalism, with subnational initiative supported by federal facilitation.
Infrastructure Connectivity to Drive Growth
Tinubu said the Federal Government would facilitate road, rail and power connectivity to the projects, while strengthening investment security and the maritime domain and removing unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles.
He disclosed that the Blue Marine Special Economic Zone was already attracting interest from leading global manufacturing and industrial companies.
Within the zone, imported inputs are expected to be transformed into finished products, while Nigerian raw materials would be processed for export.
The President said the industrial ecosystem would also provide opportunities for young Nigerians to secure dignified, productive and sustainable employment.
He described the Gateway Deep Seaport as critical infrastructure for the viability of the economic zone.
“A port moves cargo; a port integrated with a special economic zone helps to build an economy. Each reinforces the other,” he said.
Tinubu further pledged that the Federal Government would continue to work with Ogun State and other subnational governments to remove unnecessary bottlenecks and facilitate investments capable of creating value for Nigerians, while ensuring compliance with the country’s laws and regulatory requirements.
Maritime Economy at Heart of Diversification Strategy
The President said strengthening Nigeria’s maritime economy remained a central component of the Federal Government’s broader economic diversification strategy.
He urged the Ogun State Government and investors to sustain the momentum generated by the signing and proceed expeditiously with implementation.
According to him, Nigeria’s strategic position at the heart of West African trade has been constrained by port congestion, inadequate draft capacity and logistics bottlenecks that raise the cost of doing business.
He said the Ogun projects were designed to directly address those challenges by combining port infrastructure with industrial production, logistics and export capacity.
“This is how modern infrastructure should be delivered: as an integrated ecosystem, operated to world-class standards and supported by a serious and responsible government. This is nation-building in its most practical form,” Tinubu said.
Lagos-Calabar Highway to Strengthen Corridor
The President also highlighted the strategic importance of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway to the success of the emerging industrial and maritime corridor.
He said the 28-kilometre Ogun State section of the planned 700-kilometre highway, scheduled for completion before the end of 2026, would provide a vital transport connection to the proposed port and economic zone.
According to him, the highway would strengthen connectivity between the coastline, Lagos, the Nigerian hinterland and markets across the African continent.
“Without it, the coastline would have remained rich in potential but without access. With it, the zone and port will connect more effectively to Lagos, the Nigerian hinterland and markets across the African continent,” he said.
Tinubu added that the projects would anchor a broader strategic corridor around the proposed Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard and the OK LNG Project.
The emerging industrial cluster, he noted, would further connect Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure to its energy and gas-export ambitions, creating an integrated platform for trade, manufacturing, logistics and economic expansion.
The Ogun Blue Marine Special Economic Zone and Gateway Deep Seaport therefore represent an ambitious attempt to link infrastructure development with industrialisation, export growth, job creation and Nigeria’s wider ambition of becoming a more competitive player in African and global commerce.
