Dangote Seeks Approval to Build Nigeria’s Largest and Deepest Seaport in Ogun

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is seeking regulatory approval to build what he describes as Nigeria’s largest and deepest seaport in Olokola, Ogun State, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The ambitious Atlantic seaport project is expected to significantly boost the Dangote Group’s logistics and export capacity, serving as a strategic extension of its fertilizer and petrochemical operations. The planned location is about 100 kilometers from the group’s massive industrial base in Lagos.

Speaking in an interview, Dangote confirmed that his company submitted the necessary documentation in late June to begin the project. “It’s not that we want to do everything by ourselves, but I believe this kind of investment will inspire other entrepreneurs to get involved too,” he said.

Currently, Dangote exports fertilizer and urea via a private jetty near his Lagos refinery. The proposed Olokola port will be designed to consolidate and expand the group’s export infrastructure, potentially positioning it to compete with facilities like the Lekki Deep Sea Port, which was inaugurated in 2023.

Beyond fertiliser and petrochemicals, Dangote revealed plans to enter the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market. He aims to export LNG from Lagos by constructing pipelines from gas-rich areas in the Niger Delta.

“We want to do a major project to bring in more gas than what NLNG is doing today,” he said, referencing Nigeria LNG Ltd., the country’s top LNG exporter. “We know where there is a lot of gas, so we’ll run a pipeline all the way and bring it to the shore.”

His current fertiliser plant already uses natural gas from the Niger Delta to produce hydrogen, a key component in ammonia and urea production.

Dangote believes that large-scale infrastructure and industrial investments, guided by long-term vision, have the power to reshape Africa’s economic future. Earlier this year, he announced that the Dangote Group is on track to generate $30 billion in annual revenue by next year, with a target to surpass Qatar as the world’s top urea exporter within four years.