The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has commissioned three newly-acquired 80-tonne bollard-pull tugboats to enhance the berthing of vessels at the Dangote Refinery and Lekki Deep Seaport. During the inauguration in Lekki, Oyetola stated that the tugboats, named MT IRAGBIJI, MT DAURA, and MT BAMA, will support port security, patrol, surveillance, and provide efficient pilotage and towage services.
According to Oyetola, these investments aim to enhance port efficiency and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leading maritime nation in the region. He emphasized the importance of efficient port operations in accelerating economic growth and reaffirmed the commitment to updating existing facilities to meet these goals. Oyetola highlighted that acquiring these modern marine crafts aligns with Nigeria’s efforts to maximize opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement and optimize its competitive edge as a littoral nation through the deployment of advanced technology and equipment.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, stated that the acquisition would help the port authority achieve regional hub status by efficiently servicing domestic cargo needs. The inclusion of the tugboats is expected to win back transit cargo previously lost to maritime neighbors and better position Nigeria to meet the maritime requirements of its landlocked neighbors. Bello-Koko noted that the acquisition of the marine crafts fulfills part of NPA’s deliverables under the Presidential/Ministerial Performance Bond, which aims to optimize Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
The NPA boss explained that the marine crafts will be deployed to serve operations at the Lekki corridor, which has become a hub for Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in energy, agricultural growth, and trade transshipment capacity. The corridor hosts the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest granulated urea fertilizer complex, and Nigeria’s first fully automated Deep Seaport capable of berthing Super Post Panamax-sized ships. Data from Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals indicates that 120 tanker vessels were handled between January and June 2024, with a projection of 415 vessels between July and December.
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adeniyi, praised the collaboration between Customs and the NPA in developing the export sector, automating processes, decongesting the port, and ensuring port efficiency. Adeniyi assured that Customs would continue to support the growth of the industry and maintain a top position in the ease of doing business rankings.