FG Slams Obi Over Misinformation On Port Development

The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has condemned a recent remark made by the former Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, criticising the approval of the $1 billion modernisation of the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports in Lagos.

According to the Nigeria Television Authority, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy on media and communication, Dr Bolaji Akinola, in a statement, emphasised that while the Ministry welcomes constructive dialogue on national development, it is important to correct the misleading impression created by Obi’s comments.

Obi, via his official X handle, had earlier criticised the modernisation project, saying, “This development once again exposes a longstanding concentration of our port development only in Lagos.

“Nigeria’s infrastructure investment remains excessively concentrated in Lagos, often at the expense of other strategic ports such as Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne. If fully developed, these ports could enhance productivity, drive trade, create jobs, and open new economic corridors that would lift millions out of poverty across the federation.”

However, the Ministry headed by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has consistently stated at various fora that the Federal Government is modernising and upgrading the nation’s ports comprehensively and inclusively, not concentrating efforts solely in Lagos.

The statement reads, “The Ministry has already commenced the procurement process for the renovation and modernisation of the ports in Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne. These projects are being undertaken alongside the Lagos port modernisation initiative, forming part of a coordinated national strategy to revitalise and expand maritime infrastructure across all regions of the country.

“In addition to these ongoing interventions, the Federal Ministry is working closely with respective state governments and private investors to develop new deep seaports that will further strengthen the nation’s maritime capacity. These include the Agge Deep Seaport in Bayelsa State, the Ibom Deep Seaport in Akwa Ibom State, the Bonny Deep Seaport in Rivers State, and a deep seaport in Cross River State.”

It added, “The Onitsha River Port in Anambra State, developed by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) — an agency under the Ministry — stands as a practical example of the Federal Government’s efforts to decentralise port operations and expand maritime access beyond Lagos.

“Akinola reiterated that the Lagos ports modernisation project is a necessary intervention given the age and scale of trade handled through Apapa and TinCan Island. However, it is by no means the sole focus of the Federal Government’s maritime infrastructure drive. The Ministry’s ongoing efforts to upgrade, modernise, and expand other ports outside Lagos clearly affirm a nationwide commitment to developing the marine and blue economy in an equitable, sustainable, and forward-looking manner.”

“The Federal Government, therefore, wishes to state unequivocally that Mr Peter Obi’s claim suggesting neglect of ports outside Lagos is incorrect and misleading. The Federal Government’s policies and actions clearly demonstrate a balanced and inclusive approach to port development, guided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to promote national food security, economic diversification, and regional prosperity through the full harnessing of Nigeria’s maritime potential,” Dr Akinola stated

The Ministry assures Nigerians that ongoing reforms will ensure every region of the country benefits from the opportunities inherent in the nation’s growing blue economy.