Africa’s Richest Man Files to Build Deep Seaport in Ogun State

Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest man, has submitted paperwork to build Nigeria's largest and deepest seaport near his fertilizer and oil refinery plants in Olokola, Ogun State, about 100 kilometers from Lagos. The new port aims to ease congestion at Lagos ports, integrate logistics and export activities for Dangote's industrial empire, and rival existing facilities such as the Chinese-backed Lekki Deep Sea Port, which opened in 2023. The project, supported by the Nigerian government and Ogun State, follows years of delays and is poised to accelerate trade flows for West Africa. Besides fertilizer and petrochemical exports, Dangote plans to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) by constructing pipelines from Nigeria's gas-rich Niger Delta to Lagos, aiming to surpass current LNG exports by Nigeria LNG Ltd. Dangote expressed hope that the project will encourage other entrepreneurs to invest, contributing to Nigeria's economic growth and upgrading port capacity and logistics infrastructure. His $20 billion refinery in Lekki Free Zone, commissioned in 2023, is already transforming Nigeria’s energy sector, supporting the rationale for this significant port expansion.