Ogun port construction scheduled to start in November, governor says

Construction of the proposed Gateway Deep Sea Port and Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone is expected to begin in November, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has said. Abiodun made the announcement while addressing All Progressives Congress stakeholders in Ijebu East and Ijebu North local government areas. He spoke days after signing a memorandum of understanding with DP World MEA FZE in Paris, in the presence of President Bola Tinubu.

The governor said the project’s groundbreaking ceremony would be held in November and that construction would begin immediately afterwards. He added that the port should be substantially completed within two and a half years. The project, valued at more than $7 billion according to the source material, is planned for Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.

Abiodun described DP World as one of the world’s major port operators and said the partnership could help unlock the state’s maritime and economic potential. He said the port had remained largely unrealised for more than three decades, despite its potential, and that his administration had revived it as part of efforts to attract investment and accelerate economic development. Abiodun said the project would position Ogun as a major maritime destination and a hub for West Africa.

The governor also cited federal infrastructure projects that he said would improve connections to Ogun East. These include the rehabilitation of the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode-Ore Road and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. Abiodun linked the port plans to the district’s natural resources, including what he described as extensive bitumen deposits stretching from Ijebu East towards Ondo State.

He also referred to crude oil resources in parts of Ogun, including Odogbolu, and said his administration would continue seeking ways to develop the state’s resources.