Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has revealed plans to establish what he describes as the biggest and deepest seaport in Nigeria at Olokola in Ogun State — a project that signals his full industrial return to the location once abandoned due to a dispute with state authorities.
Speaking in a recent interview with Bloomberg, the President of Dangote Group disclosed that he has formally submitted the necessary documents for regulatory approval to commence the ambitious Atlantic seaport development.
The proposed port is expected to significantly ease the export of goods, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), and catalyze the growth of the Dangote industrial empire while attracting more private sector investment into the maritime and logistics sectors.
“It’s not that we want to do everything by ourselves, but I think doing this will encourage other entrepreneurs to come into it,” Dangote said.
The planned return to Olokola marks a major policy shift, nearly a decade after the businessman pulled out his multibillion-dollar refinery and fertilizer plant from the coastal town, citing a breakdown in relations with the then Ogun State government.
Earlier this year, Dangote attributed his renewed interest in Ogun to the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun, saying: “We are back because of His Excellency, our governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.”
Adding weight to the seaport proposal, Dangote Group’s Executive Vice President, Devakumar Edwin, revealed that the company also plans to export LNG from Lagos. He said the project would include pipeline construction from the Niger Delta to coastal facilities.
“We want to do a major project to bring more gas than what Nigeria LNG is doing today,” Edwin said. “We know where there is a lot of gas, so we’ll run a pipeline all through and then bring it to the shore.”
The port development is coming amid several aggressive expansions by the conglomerate. In May, Dangote Industries Limited projected a $7 million daily revenue from its fertilizer operations within the next two years.
The refinery arm of the group also announced it would begin nationwide distribution of diesel and petrol by August 15, backed by a new fleet of 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered tankers.
On June 27, Dangote declared that Africa would become self-sufficient in fertilizer production within the next 40 months — further solidifying his vision for continental industrial dominance.
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