… To do Same for 1st Phase of Blue Line Rail Transit , Randle Centre, Today
President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the $1.5bn Lekki Deep Seaport in Lagos State.
The seaport which was completed in 2022, is a joint venture between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Lagos State Government, the Tolaram Group, and China Harbour Engineering Company(CHEC).
This is just as he is expected to inaugurate today, the first Phase of the Blue Line of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit in Marina and the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History at Onikan roundabout
At the inauguration, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo – Olu said that Lekki Deep Seaport is the largest in West Africa, and will generate thousands of jobs for Nigerians, even as he described the project as the biggest infrastructure in the whole of West Africa.
Mohammed Bello-Koko, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said in his speech at the event ,that the Port will not only create employment ,but will be a model for port development in Nigeria.
He said the fact that the Lekki Port has a depth of 16.5 metres, bigger vessels and more cargoes would be attracted to it and thus economies of scale, which will bring down the cost of doing business at the Port.
Bello Koko disclosed that the NPA already has interest from a certain neighbouring African country that wants to move its cargoes from Lekki Port through Dala Inland Dry Port in Kano to the African country, because the country has seen the possibility of smooth operations and efficiency at Lekki Port.
Hon Emmanuel Jime, ES/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), while speaking stated that the port is fully digitalised and such will assist the terminal operator to render quality services to port users.
He however said that Shippers’ Council will continue to monitor the port to ensure that efficiency and quality services are rendered at the port.
Tang Qiaoliang, Chairman of CHEC, said ,the Port will improve the Nigerian port industry by easing the burden of cargo shipment flow, creating employments, and ultimately promoting international trade.
Mohan Vaswani, Chairman of Tolaram Group, said through Zoom that the journey started in 2003 with President Olusegun Obasanjo approval for the port project to be developed, adding that the port will increase the economic well-being of Nigeria and its people.
