An ambitious expansion o
f his industrial empire centered on improving exports and logistical capabilities has been signaled by Aliko Dangote, head of the Dangote Group and the wealthiest man in Africa. Official paperwork has been filed to develop Nigeria’s biggest and deepest seaport at Olokola in Ogun State.
The proposed seaport is designed to ease congestion at Lagos ports and streamline the export of key commodities like fertilizer and petroleum products, including liquefied natural gas (LNG). It is located about 100 kilometers from Dangote's current petrochemical and fertilizer plants in Lagos.
The project, which Dangote called "the biggest, deepest port in Nigeria," would greatly improve supply chain efficiency for the group's businesses and beyond, according to him. Establishing a competitive marine logistics center in the area, the port would complement existing facilities such as the Lekki Deep Sea Port, which opened in 2023 and is supported by China.
After years of setbacks caused by regulatory and legal battles, this proposal brings back the Olokola Free Trade Zone port development project. Federal and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun's backing has put Dangote's project back on track, thanks to better relations and regulations that are welcoming to investors and promote massive infrastructure projects.
Dangote emphasized the significance of this government partnership, saying that previous conflicts had been overcome, allowing the building to move forward. Additionally, he hoped that other Nigerian entrepreneurs would be inspired to engage in similar businesses, which would help to expand Nigeria's industrial base.
The new harbor would not only service Dangote’s fertilizer and refinery activities but also help his plans to increase Nigeria’s footprint in liquefied natural gas exports. The venture comprises developing pipelines from gas-rich Niger Delta reserves to the coastline port, allowing large-scale LNG exports that seek to exceed the existing amounts handled by Nigeria LNG Ltd., Africa’s biggest LNG exporter.
Already a formidable operation, Dangote's refinery in the Lekki Free Zone processes more than 550,000 barrels of Nigerian oil per day. By the end of 2025, they want to have increased that capacity to 650,000 barrels. To bring Nigeria one step closer to energy independence, this refinery would increase the usage of local oil and decrease the country's dependence on fuel imports.
Similarly, the $3 billion fertilizer facility benefits from natural gas feedstock obtained from the Niger Delta, creating ammonia for fertilizers crucial to Africa’s agricultural growth. Dangote predicts that Africa might attain fertilizer self-sufficiency within 40 months, dramatically cutting import reliance.
Beyond the port building, Dangote Industries Limited is prepared to increase gasoline delivery statewide with a fleet of 4,000 compressed natural gas-powered tankers, expected to start operations by mid-August 2025. This approach aims to enhance gasoline availability across Nigeria’s retail markets; however, it has sparked criticism regarding market competitiveness.
The new port is, thus, a strategic asset, vital to the larger industrial logistics network covering refinery, fertilizer manufacturing, gas export, and gasoline distribution, reinforcing Dangote’s vision of an integrated, efficient supply chain ecosystem.
Aliko Dangote’s filing of the permission paperwork for Nigeria’s biggest seaport at Olokola signifies a milestone in his continual industrial growth and Nigeria’s infrastructure upgrading. This seaport would not only increase Dangote Group’s export capabilities—especially in fertilizer and LNG—but also promote regional commerce, decrease port congestion, and motivate future private sector investments in marine infrastructure.
With an estimated net worth of $27.8 billion, Dangote’s ambitious investments in port and energy infrastructure position Nigeria to boost its industrial production and global trade connections dramatically in the next years.
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