DP World has signed agreements with Nigeria’s Ogun State Government to advance the development of a new deep-sea port at Ogun Waterside, alongside a large-scale special economic zone.
The agreements, signed in Paris on September 24, cover the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and the Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone. The projects are part of an investment framework valued at more than $7 billion, according to Nigerian government statements.
The proposed Gateway Deep Seaport is planned as a major maritime gateway for Ogun State and the wider southwest Nigerian market. The port is expected to feature a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, allowing it to accommodate large deep-draft vessels serving international trade routes.
The port will be integrated with the proposed Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, covering around 10,000 hectares. The combination of port infrastructure and industrial facilities is intended to create an integrated logistics and manufacturing platform, supporting cargo handling, distribution and related economic activities.
The development is expected to provide an additional maritime gateway for Nigeria beyond the existing port infrastructure around Lagos. It could also strengthen connections between seaborne trade and industrial activity in Ogun State, which has a growing manufacturing and industrial base.
According to reports citing the investment framework, the projects could support more than 50,000 direct jobs when fully developed, with additional employment expected across logistics, manufacturing, maritime services and associated industries.
The agreement represents a further expansion of DP World’s port development activities in Africa. The company is already developing major deep-water infrastructure elsewhere on the continent, including the Port of Ndayane in Senegal and Port of Banana in the Democratic Republic of Congo. DP World says the Ndayane project is scheduled for completion in 2028.
For Nigeria, the Gateway project could add new deep-water capacity and provide another route for international cargo serving the country’s industrial and consumer markets. Its integration with an economic zone is also intended to link port operations more closely with manufacturing and logistics activities.
The latest agreements mark a further step in the development of the Ogun port project, with investment and implementation expected to progress through subsequent stages of planning and development.