With an investment in excess of 1 billion U.S. dollars, the deep seaport is a commercial project of cooperation between China, France, and Nigeria.
Nigeria has officially opened the iconic Lekki deep seaport in the southwestern state of Lagos for operation, noting that the new maritime facility opens a new vista of economic development for the African country.
Constructed by the China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd., the Lekki Deep Sea Port is the first deep seaport in Nigeria, and one of the biggest in West Africa.
With an investment in excess of 1 billion U.S. dollars, the deep seaport is a commercial project of cooperation between China, France, and Nigeria.
The construction of the port commenced in June 2020 and was completed in October 2022. It is designed to handle 1.2 million standard containers annually.
It is expected to ease congestion at the country’s ports and help it become an African hub for transshipment, handling cargoes in transit for other destinations.
Speaking at the opening of the port, Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari said the completion of the project was driven by his vision to “bequeath a legacy of poverty elimination through the provision of job-creating infrastructure.”
Emphasizing there are now limitless opportunities for the country’s exports, especially agro-allied products in the international marketplace, growth of local jobs, and increase in foreign exchange inflow, the Nigerian leader said he “placed all matters related to the operationalization of Lekki deep seaport on top priority.”
Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, such as biometric scanners and facial recognition systems, the port is expected to also improve security and efficiency, and streamline the clearance of cargo.
Source: Xinhua News Agency