Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has inaugurated a Project Development Committee for the Gateway Inland Dry Port, IDP, at Papalanto, Ogun State, formalizing the development phase for the Gateway Inland Dry Port.
This move reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to reforming and unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s maritime and logistics sector.
During the inauguration ceremony, the Minister who was represented by the Director of the Federal Department of Fishery and Aquaculture, Wellington Omoragbon, said that the Project Development Committee’s establishment, is a concrete affirmation of the government’s strategic direction toward sustainable national economic growth facilitated by the Blue Economy.
He noted that the committee’s creation marks a decisive step in ensuring the successful development and operation of the Gateway IDP.
The committee embodies a multi-stakeholder approach, comprising representatives from the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Ogun State Government, and the project’s designated concessionaire, Arise Group.
According to the Minister, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Olufemi Oloruntola, will chair the committee, while the Director of Maritime Services and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council will serve as Co-Chair.
To ensure continuity and institutional knowledge, the Secretariat of the committee will be housed within the Inland Container Depot Division of the Ministry.
Oyetola tasked the PDC with developing a comprehensive roadmap for the efficient commissioning and sustainable operation of the Dry Port.
The committee will also establish effective collaboration frameworks with relevant federal and state stakeholders, design targeted sensitisation strategies for operators, and oversee procurement processes in line with the ICRC Act 2005 and the Public Procurement Act 2007.
In his remarks, the representative of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr Pius Akutah, commended the Minister for his consistent dedication to transport infrastructure development nationwide.
He said Dr Oyetola’s leadership has reinvigorated the logistics and maritime sectors, fostering a stronger drive towards building an integrated transport system that supports national economic growth.
Akutah noted that inland dry ports serve as critical inland extensions of seaports, linking producers and exporters directly to international trade routes while stimulating regional economic activity.
The Gateway , he added, holds historical significance as part of the Federal Executive Council’s 2006 approval for the establishment of six dry ports across geo-political zones
The Gateway Inland Dry Port is historically significant, forming part of the Federal Executive Council’s 2006 approval for establishing six Dry Ports across Nigeria’s Geo-Political Zones under the Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer, BOOT, Public-Private Partnership model.
