OGUN GOES BIG! DP World Signs $7BN Deal for Deep Seaport and 10,000-Hectare Economic Zone

DP World Signs Deal for Deep Seaport and 10,000-Hectare Blue Marine Economic Zone

By Lekki People Magazine

Ogun State has taken a major step towards establishing itself as a new maritime and industrial gateway in Nigeria following the signing of agreements with global ports and logistics giant DP World for the development of the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and a 10,000-hectare Blue Marine Special Economic Zone.

The Memoranda of Understanding were signed in Paris, France, on September 24, 2026, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu witnessing the ceremony alongside Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and senior Nigerian and DP World officials.

According to the Presidency, the projects are expected to attract more than $7 billion in initial investment and have the potential to generate over 50,000 direct jobs when fully developed.

A New Gateway on the Ogun Coast

The proposed Gateway Deep Seaport, located in Ogun Waterside, is planned with a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft. Its design is intended to accommodate larger vessels while providing an alternative maritime gateway for businesses currently dependent on the Lagos port corridor.

The project is expected to support the movement of goods between Nigeria, the wider African market and international destinations, while potentially reducing some of the congestion, delays and logistics costs associated with existing port infrastructure.

But the broader ambition extends beyond the port itself.

10,000 Hectares for Industry and Trade

The Gateway Deep Seaport is expected to operate alongside the proposed 10,000-hectare Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, creating an integrated platform linking maritime transportation with manufacturing, processing, logistics and export activities.

The concept is to enable businesses to bring in inputs through the port, manufacture or process goods within the economic zone, and move finished products into Nigerian and international markets.

President Tinubu described the integrated approach as one in which the port and economic zone reinforce each other, while stressing the importance of moving the agreements into actual implementation.

Connecting Ogun to the Lagos–Calabar Corridor

The emerging maritime-industrial corridor is also expected to connect with major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway.

The Presidency said the 28-kilometre Ogun section of the coastal highway would provide an important transportation link between the proposed port, the economic zone, Lagos and the Nigerian hinterland.

The wider corridor is also expected to interact with other proposed strategic developments around the Ogun coastline, including the Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard and the OK LNG Project.

What It Could Mean for Ogun

For Ogun State, the project represents an attempt to combine its growing industrial base with direct access to maritime trade.

The state government has positioned the development as part of a wider economic strategy involving the Gateway International Airport, dry ports, road infrastructure and the coastal highway, with the aim of strengthening manufacturing, logistics, exports and investment.

Governor Dapo Abiodun said the ambition goes beyond simply berthing ships, describing the port as a potential gateway for Ogun and Nigeria's productive economy to access African and global markets.

The agreements, however, mark an investment framework and not the completion of the port. Their significance will ultimately depend on financing, construction, infrastructure connectivity, regulatory implementation and the participation of investors and businesses.

For Nigeria's rapidly expanding southwest industrial corridor, the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and Blue Marine Special Economic Zone could become an important development to watch as the projects move from agreements to implementation.

OJOMO: A GLOBAL VOICE FOR AFRICA’S FUTURE TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN ALICANTE

Akinwale Roy Ojomo to Deliver Keynote, Receive Prestigious Honour at Clevenard Open Project 2026

ALICANTE, SPAIN — Akinwale Roy Ojomo, distinguished migration researcher, diaspora engagement advocate and international development professional, is set to take centre stage at the Clevenard Open Project 2026 in Alicante, Spain.

Ojomo will deliver the keynote address on Friday, August 28, at the Global Economy, Trade, Solid Minerals, Agriculture & Investment Summit, where he will address Africa’s migration landscape and the growing “JAPA” phenomenon.

A recently appointed Lead Researcher at the Migration Observatory Lab, Center of African Studies, University of Porto, Portugal, Ojomo has built an impressive professional profile spanning migration, global development, business, diaspora engagement and international cooperation. 

He also serves as the Diaspora Editorial Consultant to Lekki People Magazine, bringing his expertise and international perspective to the publication’s coverage of diaspora affairs and global development.

His keynote, titled “The Management Migration aka JAPA Process 2050: Building Legal Pathways for Sustainable Migration and Management,” will explore how migration can be transformed into opportunities for economic development, investment, entrepreneurship, skills transfer and stronger diaspora engagement.

He is also expected to receive a prestigious honorary award at the four-day international gathering, which brings together global leaders, policymakers, investors, academics, entrepreneurs and changemakers from Africa, Europe and the Caribbean.

LEKKI FLOOD: LASG Targets Illegal Structures Blocking Drainages in Agungi, Ajiran & Ikota

Photo credit: Guardian News

The Lagos State Government has launched a major enforcement operation in Agungi, Ajiran and Ikota, ordering the immediate removal of illegal structures blocking drainage channels blamed for recurring floods across the Lekki corridor.

Environment and Water Resources Commissioner, Tokunbo Wahab, announced the crackdown after inspecting key drainage projects in the affected communities.

Wahab announced that all illegal structures built on reclaimed drainage alignments would be demolished

Officials discovered that a land-owning family had blocked the Ajiran drainage outfall into the Lagos Lagoon, preventing stormwater from draining out of the area. Wahab directed that the obstruction be removed immediately, insisting that no land title or Certificate of Occupancy gives anyone the right to block public drainage infrastructure.

He said the government would continue clearing every illegal obstruction to protect lives and safeguard billions of naira invested in flood-control projects.

The inspection also uncovered serious violations at Megamond Estate in Ikota, where developers allegedly reclaimed part of the Ikota River and commenced construction without the required environmental and drainage approvals. Despite earlier enforcement notices, the developments continued.

Wahab announced that all illegal structures built on reclaimed drainage alignments would be demolished, warning that the state would no longer tolerate encroachment on waterways or drainage corridors.

He reminded developers that wetland and reclamation projects must obtain Environmental Impact Assessments and other statutory approvals before construction begins, stressing that Lagos will not recognise approvals sought after illegal development has taken place.

The Commissioner also appealed to residents to report environmental violations, revealing that whistleblower reports led to the discovery of the illegal activities. He reaffirmed the government's resolve to enforce environmental laws and strengthen flood-control infrastructure across the state.