The Ogun State Government and DP World MEA FZE have signed Memoranda of Understanding for the development of the Gateway Deep Sea Port and the Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, in deals projected to draw more than $7 billion in initial investment and create upwards of 50,000 direct jobs.
Signing Ceremony in Paris Witnessed by President Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu witnessed the signing ceremony in Paris, France, accompanied by Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola and Nigerian Ports Authority Director-General Dr Abubakar Dantsoho. The agreements unite the Federal Government, Ogun State, DP World and private-sector partners in a framework aimed at cutting trade delays, boosting logistics and expanding Nigeria's manufacturing and export capacity.
Tinubu said the two projects would tackle long-running infrastructure and logistics gaps while building an integrated platform for industrial production and maritime commerce. "We are doing more than signing agreements; we are laying the foundation for a new chapter in Nigeria's development," the President said.
Gateway Deep Sea Port and the Blue Marine SEZ
Planned for Ogun Waterside, the Gateway Deep Sea Port will have a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, enabling it to accommodate larger vessels, reduce pressure on the Lagos port corridor and lower costs for traders. The port will connect directly to a proposed 10,000-hectare Blue Marine Special Economic Zone designed to support manufacturing, processing and export-driven industries.
Tinubu said the zone would allow imported inputs to be converted into finished goods and Nigerian raw materials to be processed for export, broadening the country's non-oil revenue base. "A port moves cargo; a port integrated with a special economic zone helps to build an economy," he said.
Connectivity and Federal Support
The President noted that the 28-kilometre Ogun section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would serve as a vital link between the port, the industrial zone, Lagos, Nigeria's interior and wider African markets. He added that the corridor would also connect with the proposed Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard and the OK LNG Project.
Tinubu assured investors of regulatory clarity and policy stability, pledging federal support for road, rail and power connectivity. He said the Federal Government would hold all parties accountable, stressing that the agreements must translate into concrete investments, jobs and economic opportunities.
Abiodun Calls It a Defining Moment
Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun described the signing as a watershed moment in the state's economic history, crediting Tinubu with reviving a deep seaport vision that had gone unrealised for more than three decades. "It has taken the foresight, courage and dogged leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to move it from aspiration to reality," the governor said.
Abiodun said the project would stimulate small businesses, deepen supply chains, attract foreign direct investment and create opportunities across maritime services, logistics and technology. He pointed to DP World's Jebel Ali Free Zone as a model for what integrated ports and special economic zones can achieve. "History will judge us not by the elegance of documents signed, but by the transformation that follows," the governor said.
