No Opposition to Seaports Outside Lagos – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has dismissed claims that political interests in the South-West and Abuja had opposed the establishment of a seaport in Cross River State or anywhere outside Lagos, insisting that his administration supports the development of maritime infrastructure across Nigeria.

Tinubu spoke on Friday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the $3.5bn Bakassi Deep Seaport in Cross River State, where he was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

He challenged those spreading the rumours to consider his presence at the ceremony as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to the project.

“There is a rumour I hear in some corners. That the West, Lagos, or Abuja never wanted a port to work anywhere outside Lagos. If that were true, would I be standing here today with a shovel in my hand?” he said.

The President stressed that the development of the Bakassi port was not intended to undermine Lagos, describing the commercial centre as a partner in Nigeria’s wider economic growth.

“Lagos is not our enemy,” Tinubu said, adding that the country could not continue to depend on one location to handle the bulk of its international trade.

He noted that more than 80 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign trade currently flows through Lagos, warning that concentrating cargo traffic in one location could result in congestion, shipping delays and higher prices for goods in other parts of the country.

“Lagos is our elder brother in trade. No country eats with one hand. No country carries all its load on one shoulder. That shoulder will break,” he said.

Tinubu added that the Bakassi project was designed to expand Nigeria’s maritime capacity and create another major gateway for international trade.

The $3.5bn facility is planned as a 20-metre-draft deep seaport capable of accommodating large vessels. It will also be supported by a 260-kilometre superhighway to facilitate the movement of cargo to other parts of the country.

The President said the project had been under consideration for decades, with its plans re-engineered in 2014 and its Environmental and Social Impact Assessment completed in March 2015. However, implementation stalled until the current state government revived the initiative.

He said funding from the African Export-Import Bank and a public-private partnership formalised in February 2025 helped move the project towards construction.

Tinubu projected that Nigeria could earn $44bn annually from its blue economy by attracting regional cargo traffic currently handled by neighbouring countries.

Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, who also spoke at the ceremony, said the project had faced political, administrative, legal and environmental obstacles before the current administration secured the necessary federal approvals.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, described the port as an important development for Nigeria’s maritime sector and economic diversification.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Abubakar Dantsoho, said the facility could also strengthen trade with landlocked countries, including Chad, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.