Dangote Advances Olokola Deep Seaport Plans with Regulatory Filing in Ogun State
Aliko Dangote moves to build Nigeria’s deepest seaport in Ogun, filing construction plans in June.
The Olokola port aims to boost exports, ease logistics, and attract private infrastructure investment.
Africa’s wealthiest businessman, Aliko Dangote, has taken a significant step toward developing Nigeria’s most prominent and deepest seaport, confirming that his group submitted regulatory paperwork in June 2025 to begin construction at the Olokola Free Trade Zone in Ogun State.
The move represents a strategic push to strengthen the logistics backbone of Dangote Group’s rapidly expanding industrial empire. In an interview published by Bloomberg on Monday, July 14, Dangote revealed that the application was lodged late last month, marking formal progress on a project first announced in March 2025.
The proposed Atlantic deep-sea port, to be built in Olokola, is located roughly 100 kilometers from Dangote’s massive fertilizer and petrochemical plants in Lagos. It is expected to serve as a key hub for exporting urea, fertilizer, and, in the future, liquefied natural gas (LNG). The port will also ease logistics by reducing the company’s reliance on existing terminals, including the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
“This isn’t just about us. It’s also about stimulating broader private-sector involvement in infrastructure,” Dangote said in the Bloomberg interview. “We believe taking this lead will encourage more entrepreneurs to invest in projects like this.”
Currently, the Dangote Group exports fertilizers and receives refinery equipment via a custom-built jetty at its Lagos facility. However, the planned Olokola port promises to offer an integrated, long-term solution for imports and exports linked to the conglomerate’s operations across Nigeria and beyond.
The Olokola site itself carries historical significance. It was initially designated as the location for the company’s refinery and fertilizer projects before being moved to Lagos due to unresolved issues with the former Ogun State administration. With a new government now in place and relations improved, the group is revisiting Olokola for its next phase of infrastructure investment.
In addition to the port, the Dangote Group is advancing plans to construct a network of pipelines from the Niger Delta to Lagos aimed at enabling large-scale LNG exports. According to the group’s Vice President, Devakumar Edwin, the project could potentially outpace the output of Nigeria LNG Ltd., the country’s top LNG producer, which is currently operated in partnership with Shell, Eni, and TotalEnergies.
“This is a bold move to unlock Nigeria’s gas potential. We know where the reserves are, and we plan to build the infrastructure needed to bring that gas to the coast,” Edwin said.
The group also plans to roll out nationwide fuel distribution starting August 2025, deploying a fleet of 4,000 gas-powered trucks. While some observers have raised concerns over market concentration, Dangote insists that the goal is to enhance efficiency and coverage, not to monopolize the downstream sector.
