Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the Lekki Deep Sea Port. The port project which was completed in November 2
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the Lekki Deep Sea Port. The port project which was completed in November 2022 at a cost of US $1.6billion, is situated in the Lagos Free Zone, covering over 90 hectares.
The project which is the largest seaport of Nigeria and one of the biggest in West Africa, was built by the China Harbor Engineering Company as part of China’s Belt and Road strategy. The Chinese company officially handed the port over to Nigeria after completing construction but retains 52.5% ownership in the port’s operating company.
Lekki Deep Sea Port
The port was financed by private investors and a consortium of banks who have funded the project. The first phase, which has been completed, developed the overall layout including a five-mile-long navigation channel, a nearly 2,000-foot turning basin, a 62-foot depth throughout the port, as well as the breakwater and berths. The container terminal consists of three berths at a nearly 4,000-foot quay and a container storage yard with over 15,000 slots. It is the first Nigerian port with ship-to-shore super-post-Panamax cranes. The container port has the capacity to handle an annual throughput of 2.7 million TEU.
When fully completed the port will also have a liquid bulk terminal with three additional berths with a capacity to handle vessels up to 160,000 dwt. There will also be a tank farm connected by pipelines running to the breakwater. The dry cargo terminal will have the capacity to handle up to four million metric tons of dry bulk per year.
The Lekki Deep Sea Port, is expected to become a major cargo hub for West Africa. In addition to being the country’s first fully automated port and it is largest, it represents the first expansion of the country’s ports in 25 years and is part of an ambitious plan of development for the region.