The proposed Dangote Deep Seaport has secured the backing of the Ogun Waterside Local Government, with the council authority pledging full support for the initiative.
Local officials described the project as a transformative investment that will speed up industrialisation, generate employment and reposition the coastal council as a major logistics and maritime hub in Nigeria.
The commitment was announced during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Executive Chairman of Ogun Waterside Local Government, Hon. AbdulGaniyu Adetoye Odunnoiki, at the council secretariat. The session brought together representatives of Dangote Group, traditional rulers from Ode Omi and Irokun Kingdoms, community leaders and senior government officials to strengthen collaboration ahead of the project’s development.
Odunnoiki commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun for approving the Free Trade Zone in Ode Omi and Irokun as the site for the Dangote Deep Seaport, calling the decision a defining moment for the economic future of Ogun Waterside.
He said the engagement was aimed at strengthening mutual understanding, fostering peaceful coexistence and creating a sustainable framework for community development and industrial collaboration. The council chairman noted that the deep seaport would not only transform the local economy but also create opportunities for residents and future generations.
Odunnoiki urged residents and traditional institutions across the local government to embrace unity and maintain peace, stressing that sustainable development can only thrive in a stable environment. He also assured investors that the local government would continue to provide an enabling environment while safeguarding the rights, culture and welfare of host communities.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sulaimon Ibrahim, who represented Dangote Group, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to responsible investment and meaningful engagement with host communities. He said the success of the deep seaport would be built on transparency, partnership and shared prosperity.
Ibrahim stated that the company’s commitment goes beyond infrastructure, adding that Dangote Group would honour every agreement reached with the host communities and ensure that all persons affected during the planning process are compensated in line with established enumeration and industry standards. He said sustainable operations can only flourish in an atmosphere of peace and mutual trust.
The meeting also highlighted expectations for broad-based local participation in the project. Hon. Samsideen Adekunle Lawal, member representing Ogun Waterside Constituency at the Ogun State House of Assembly, urged Dangote Group to prioritise the employment of qualified indigenes across both technical and management positions while maintaining continuous dialogue with traditional institutions and community stakeholders.
Following extensive deliberations, participants unanimously adopted a communiqué committing all parties to transparency, regular communication and peaceful collaboration throughout the implementation of the project. They also agreed that further town hall engagements would be held as development progresses.
The Dangote Deep Seaport is expected to become one of Nigeria’s most strategic maritime infrastructure projects, strengthening export capacity, supporting industrial clusters within the Free Trade Zone and enhancing the country’s position as a regional gateway for trade and logistics across West Africa.