Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — The chairperson of the Ibom Deep Seaport Committee, Mrs Mfon Usoro, says the project is on course despite the recent change in the name and location of the project.
Originally known as Ibaka deep-sea port and planned for Oron Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, the Federal Executive Council, EFC, recently changed the name to Ibom Deep Sea Port while also moving the proposed project from Oron Local Government to Ibiono-Ibom in Ibom Local Government Area, also in Akwa Ibom State.
Confirming the development, Usoro said the project was on course, adding that “nothing has changed”.
The Federal Government of Nigeria will own the project through the Nigeria Ports Authority in partnership with the Akwa Ibom State Government and private investors.
The $4.2 billion Ibom Deep Sea Port, IDSP, project is being developed by Akwa Ibom State Government through a public-private partnership, PPP. The IDSP PPP arrangement received approval from the Federal Government of Nigeria in May, 2015. Request for qualification, RFQ, of the project was issued in January 2018.
The greenfield project is expected to become the eastern gateway of Nigeria and will provide vital port capacity for the country. It will also serve as a trans-shipment port for the West and Central Africa region. It will mainly handle container, break-bulk, dry bulk, and liquid cargo.
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Construction of the port was planned to commence towards the ending of 2019, but, as at the time of filling this report, no construction has begun for the port that is due for completion in 2021.
Port location and infrastructure will occupy 2,565ha of land, while an additional 1,565ha is earmarked for future expansion.
It will serve areas such as the Sao Tome Joint Development Zone, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroun, Angola, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger and Chad.
The port benefits from multi-modal connectivity offered by the location, with unparalleled access to coastal railway lines, Akwa Ibom International Airport, and an extensive national road network. A 30km-long road connecting IDSP to the federal highway will also be built as part of the project.
