A maritime stakeholder, Elder Chris Udoh, has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to explain why the Federal Government is committing substantial resources and support to port development in Lagos and a proposed deep-sea port in Ogun State while the long-awaited Ibom Deep Seaport in Akwa Ibom remains stalled.
Udoh, in an open letter to the President, said Akwa Ibom deserved a clear explanation and concrete action on the project, which he described as a longstanding national infrastructure initiative.
He specifically demanded that the Federal Government develop a financing roadmap for the estimated $4.6bn Ibom Deep Seaport and move the project from planning to implementation.
His position followed the Federal Government’s March 2026 financing arrangement for the rehabilitation of the Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port Complex, as well as the recent announcement of agreements involving the Ogun State Government and DP World on the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and Blue Marine Special Economic Zone.
Udoh said the contrasting developments had raised concerns among people in Akwa Ibom over what he described as an imbalance in the Federal Government’s maritime infrastructure priorities.
He said, “Why is the Federal Government prepared to facilitate hundreds of millions of pounds for the rehabilitation of ports in Lagos, and now contemplate more than US$7 billion in investment around a new seaport in Ogun State, while the long-approved Ibom Deep Seaport in Akwa Ibom State continues to wait?”
According to him, the Ibom Deep Seaport was not a new proposal but a project that had existed within the Federal Government’s public-private partnership framework for years.
He argued that the project was conceived to expand Nigeria’s port capacity, reduce pressure on existing facilities in Lagos and provide an eastern gateway for trade.
Udoh also drew attention to the presence of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, an Akwa Ibom indigene, during the signing of the Lagos port financing arrangement in Britain.
He said the symbolism was particularly significant to Akwa Ibom people, who, according to him, saw an illustrious son of the state standing alongside the President while major financing was secured for Lagos port infrastructure.
He stressed that his position was not against port development in other parts of the country.
“I welcome investment in Lagos. I welcome investment in Ogun. I welcome investment in every Nigerian state,” he said.
“But the question that must be answered is this: Why can Nigeria mobilise this scale of attention, investment and presidential support for Ogun, while a longstanding deep-sea port project in Akwa Ibom remains in limbo?”
Udoh urged Tinubu to issue a presidential directive for the immediate reactivation of the Ibom Deep Seaport project and direct relevant ministries and agencies to complete outstanding regulatory, financial and PPP requirements.
He also demanded a definite implementation timetable and a transparent explanation of the Federal Government’s maritime infrastructure priorities across Lagos, Ogun and Akwa Ibom.
The maritime stakeholder said Akwa Ibom was not asking for preferential treatment but what he described as fair treatment within the Nigerian federation.
“If Lagos deserves port rehabilitation, let Lagos have it. If Ogun deserves a new deep-sea port, let Ogun have it. But Akwa Ibom also deserves the opportunity to develop its own deep-sea port,” he said.
Udoh said the proposed seaport should be viewed beyond the construction of a harbour, arguing that it was linked to broader industrialisation plans involving logistics, manufacturing, exports, employment and regional economic development.
He further called for a transparent national maritime investment framework that would allow Lagos, Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and other qualifying locations to develop according to their economic potential.
According to him, such an approach would demonstrate that Nigeria’s maritime development was a national project rather than one concentrated in particular locations.
He said the Federal Government’s handling of the Ibom Deep Seaport would be closely watched by the people of Akwa Ibom.
“The people of Akwa Ibom are watching. They are asking a simple question: If billions of dollars can be found for other maritime projects, why has the Ibom Deep Seaport continued to wait?” he asked.
Udoh urged the President to provide Akwa Ibom with a clear answer and, more importantly, an actionable plan for the project.
