Lagos State Unveils Africa’s Biggest Deep Sea Port in Badagry

Gboyega Akinsanmi

The Lagos State Government Thursday disclosed that it would commence the construction of the biggest deep sea port in Africa, which it said, would be situated on over 1,000 hectares of land in Badagry with the capacity to create thousands of employment opportunities.

The state government also disclosed that a good number of foreign and domestic investors including Maersk Group “have already signed on to the project,” thereby suggesting that the state would have largest cargo container port in Africa.

The state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, disclosed the plan during a visit to the site of the project in Badagry alongside some top state officials, promising that the port project would have  begin in the next two months.

After inspecting the project site, the governor said the proposed site for the biggest deep sea port in Africa “is over 1,000 hectares of which we have just been told that there is going to be a free trade zone and a container terminal.”

He added that the investors “have done the best they can. We have Maersk Group in the bouquet of foreign investors that have signed on to this project. We are going to have the largest cargo container port in Africa situated in Badagry.

“That means a lot to us in terms of employment generation. It means a lot to us also in terms of new settlement. Like it has been said, we hope that in the next two months we are coming back here to kick-start this project,” the governor explained.

Ambode promised to bring development to about 12 communities in the area and ensure that every community “is duly compensated. In any direction that we have one or two that are still dialoguing, we would protect their interests. We would ensure that their interests are protected.

“It will be long-lasting for generation yet unborn. I want to assure the Aivoji community that they are safe and that our administration will continually support them and protect their interests. Like we have been told, this project is 500 metres away from the point of no return which is also a tourist attraction for us.

“So, we have decided to protect that particular place to make sure that tourism is complemented. With a deep sea port project, it means there will be new settlements in Badagry, new towns and the standard of living is positively affected by this kind of project.

“Before I came here, I inspected the Mile II-Badagry expressway. There is no way we want to do the deep sea port project here if we do not finish the Mile II-Badagry expressway. I assure you that the two projects will start simultaneously. We will use that to create jobs and increase the GDP of Lagos economy. Within the next four years, there will be a dramatic change in this axis of Lagos.”