Nigerian business magnet, Aliko Dangote has proposed to build a deepest seaport in Ogun state to facilitate exportation of goods including liquefied natural gas.
The move is expected to accelerate an expansion of Dangote’s conglomerate,
Source close to Newsline Global reported on Monday, citing an interview with Africa’s richest man.
An application to authorities last month, according to the outlet, sought “to build the biggest, deepest port in Nigeria” in Olokola.
It was gathered that the free trade zone was initially considered as the host of Dangote’s mega oil refinery and petrochemical plant, now situated on the outskirts of Lagos, before an impasse with the government thwarted the plan. port is conceived to connect the Dangote group’s logistics and export operations in Lagos, including Lekki Deep Sea Port, through which it currently ships petroleum products and fertilisers overseas.
“It’s not that we want to do everything by ourselves, but I think doing this will encourage other entrepreneurs to come into it,” Dangote said.
Betting on LNG exports requires the laying of pipelines from the Niger Delta, all the way to Lagos, an ambitious pursuit intended to overtake Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) as Africa’s biggest LNG exporter.
“We want to do a major project to bring more gas than what NLNG is doing today,” said Devakumar Edwin, a vice president of the group.
“We know where there is a lot of gas, so run a pipeline all through and then bring it to the shore,” he said.
Dangote group exports fertiliser to the US, Brazil, Mexico, India, and recently disclosed an aspiration to set up a fertiliser plant in Ethiopia, which will help Africa’s second most populous nation develop production capacity..
Author: Maureen Ikpeama