Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has described the Bakassi Deep Seaport as a major catalyst for investment, jobs and Nigeria’s blue economy growth, following the Federal Government’s issuance of a Certificate of Compliance for the project.
The certificate was presented by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, coming days after the Federal Executive Council approved the Bakassi Deep Seaport as one of three transformative Public–Private Partnership, PPP, projects expected to attract about $3.5 billion in private investment.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Otu said the approval marked a historic milestone for Cross River State and Nigeria’s maritime ambitions.
“Today is historic and a major milestone in our march towards realising a veritable marine and blue economy through the Bakassi Deep Seaport. Nigeria at the moment is underperforming in the marine economy, and Cross River State is strategic and well-positioned to harness this potential,” the governor said.
He noted that with rising population pressure and limited public resources, large-scale infrastructure projects such as the Bakassi Deep Seaport provide a sustainable pathway for attracting investments and creating employment.
“Receiving this certificate today is a big addition to creating balance in our development pursuit. I am confident that with the professionalism and commitment of the ministry and private sector players, we are firmly on track,” Otu added.
The governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, describing it as a forward-looking decision that underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to economic diversification.
In his remarks, Minister Oyetola said the Bakassi Deep Seaport aligns squarely with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and has the potential to significantly boost regional and national economic activity.
“The vision and passion Governor Otu has demonstrated on this project are commendable. Although there are several deep seaport initiatives across the country, Bakassi holds strong prospects of being the first to be realised,” Oyetola said.
He assured that the Federal Government would continue to support and collaborate with Cross River State to ensure timely delivery of the project.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, Dr. Jobson Osedion Ewalefoh, described the Bakassi Deep Seaport as a “game-changer” for Nigeria’s maritime and logistics ecosystem.
“The Bakassi Deep Seaport will serve as a new maritime gateway for Nigeria’s North-Central and North-East regions and function as a logistics hub for West and Central Africa. It is designed to accommodate large vessels, integrated with an industrial cluster and a Free Trade Zone,” Ewalefoh said.
He added that the project would create thousands of jobs and position Nigeria as a preferred maritime destination in the sub-region.
With regulatory clearance now secured, the Bakassi Deep Seaport is expected to move into accelerated project development, reinforcing Nigeria’s push to unlock private capital for large-scale infrastructure and deepen its blue economy potential.
