Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, says plans are underway to construct Nigeria’s biggest and deepest seaport in Olokola, Ogun State, 100km from Lagos .
In an interview with Bloomberg, Dangote revealed that his company has submitted an application to begin work on the proposed Atlantic seaport, which he believes will significantly ease the export of goods—including liquefied natural gas (LNG)—and accelerate the expansion of his vast industrial empire.
“We’ve submitted the paperwork to build the biggest, deepest port in Nigeria,” he said. “It’s not that we want to do everything by ourselves, but I think doing this will encourage other entrepreneurs to come into it.”
The new project signals a return to the Olokola site, where Dangote had previously abandoned plans to build a refinery and fertiliser plant following a dispute with local authorities. That setback has now been resolved, with Dangote crediting Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun for restoring investor confidence.
“In March, I said we were back in Ogun State because of His Excellency, our governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun,” Dangote stated.
Meanwhile, Dangote Group Vice President Devakumar Edwin has disclosed additional plans to export LNG from Lagos. He explained that the project would involve constructing a major pipeline network from the gas-rich Niger Delta to the Atlantic coast.
“We want to execute a major project—one that brings in more gas than what Nigeria LNG is doing today,” Edwin said. “We know where the gas is. Now it’s about moving it to the shore.”
The latest wave of investments is part of a broader expansion strategy by Dangote Industries Limited (DIL):
- On May 26, Dangote announced that the group is targeting $7 million in daily revenue from fertiliser sales within two years.
- By August 15, his oil refinery will begin nationwide distribution of diesel and premium motor spirit (PMS).
- To support this, the group has acquired 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered tankers to boost fuel distribution across the country.
- On June 27, Dangote projected that Africa will become self-sufficient in fertiliser production within 40 months, thanks to DIL’s scaling capacity.
With the planned seaport, LNG pipelines, and expanded distribution infrastructure, Dangote is positioning his conglomerate as a central force in Nigeria’s industrial transformation—and a key driver of the continent’s economic self-reliance.