President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road, a significant infrastructure project aimed at enhancing the nation’s maritime and economic activities. The 37-kilometer road, constructed by Dangote Industries Limited, connects the Lekki Deep Sea Port to the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant, facilitating smoother movement of goods and services.
During the commissioning ceremony held on Thursday in Lagos, President Tinubu highlighted the importance of aligning building approvals between federal and state governments to ensure the timely completion of major infrastructure projects. He directed the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and the Surveyor General of the Federation to collaborate closely with state governors to harmonize planning approvals. This collaboration, he noted, would reduce delays and compensation costs associated with land acquisition for infrastructure development.
The President also reiterated the federal government’s ban on dredging within a 10-kilometer radius of all bridges nationwide, urging governors and relevant agencies to enforce this directive to protect critical infrastructure.
The Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road is part of a broader initiative to develop enduring infrastructure across the country. President Tinubu highlighted several other ongoing and completed projects, including the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, and the Trans-Sahara Trade Route, which are expected to boost trade, agriculture, and industrialization in various regions.
In addition to road projects, the federal government has approved significant investments in other sectors. A \$600 million investment from A.P. Moller-Maersk aims to upgrade Nigeria’s seaport infrastructure, enhancing capacity and efficiency. Furthermore, the government has secured a \$652 million funding package from China Exim Bank for the construction of a vital road project connecting the Lekki Deep Sea Port to multiple southern states, facilitating the movement of goods from the port and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to private sector partners, particularly Aliko Dangote, for their contributions to Nigeria’s economic development. He commended Dangote Industries for its role in constructing the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road and other infrastructure projects under the Federal Government’s Road Infrastructure Development Fund and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by several state governors, including those of Plateau, Abia, Enugu, Ogun, Borno, and Kaduna, who pledged their support for the federal government’s infrastructure initiatives. Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, speaking on behalf of the governors, thanked President Tinubu for removing the fuel subsidy, which has led to increased allocations to states for health, education, and infrastructure investments.