WorldStage– As Dangote Group’s proposed port project in Ogun State getting ready to take off, expectation is high that the development will come with a new road network and a railway line.
The project, which lies just about 75 kilometers from Ifetedo, the southernmost town in Osun State, is in a straight line to its host community.
Some leaders of the area said it would present a strategic opportunity for Osun State to initiate early discussions with Dangote Group for collaboration.
They also explained that it would be a smart move to extend the proposed railway line to Ife, with connecting spurs to Osogbo and Ilesha, and ultimately linking to Akure as part of the national rail network.
Ifetedo is located at coordinates 7°10’35.4″N, 4°41’52.2″E, an ideal southern gateway for Osun’s integration into the emerging transport corridor.
Billionaire industrialist, Aliko Dangote, had in June 2025 announced the project seen as a major investment in the country’s port infrastructure.
The project with a planned draft depth of 18.5 meters when completed would be Nigeria’s largest and deepest seaport, exceeding the 16.5-meter depth of ports in Lagos.
The proposed port is to be built in the Olokola corridor of Ogun State, about 100 kilometers by road from the Dangote Refinery and fertilizer plants in Lagos.
It is designed to accommodate five ships at once.
According to Dangote, the port is intended to support the Dangote Group’s expanding industrial empire by facilitating exports of goods, including fertilizer and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“It will also function as a standalone business, serving other exporters and potentially easing congestion at Lagos’s ports,” Dangote Group further disclosed.
While specific timelines have not been publicly announced, the project officially entered the development phase after the application was submitted in June 2025.
The new port is a strategic move to vertically integrate the Dangote Group’s logistics and export operations. It will connect the company’s major assets, such as the Ibese Cement Plant in Ogun State and the refinery and fertilizer complex in Lagos, with international markets.
The port is expected to compete directly with existing and newly developed facilities, including the Chinese-funded Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, which opened in 2023.
Considered as economic catalyst by many, the project aligns with the broader goal of diversifying and strengthening Nigeria’s port infrastructure.
It is projected to create up to 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute significantly to Ogun State’s economic growth.
Emerging from previous delays, Dangote had previously considered the Olokola site for his refinery and fertilizer plants but abandoned the plan due to conflicts with the previous state administration.
With a new administration in place, Dangote revisited the project and has confirmed his commitment to developing the seaport in Ogun State.
