Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise is to become the transshipment hub for the West African region from 2022. It was learnt that the port would increase commercial operations in Lagos, across the country and the entire West African region when become operational next year. The deep seaport is a $1.5 billion public private partnership project between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Lagos State Government and Tolaram Group.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Du Ruogang, said that the port’s container terminal would have a 1,200 metres long quay for three container berths and a storage yard with over 15,000 ground slots. He added that the terminal was designed to support a throughput of 2.7 million Twenty Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually, while the dry bulk terminal will have an available quay length of about 300m would accommodate one berth for a Panamax size vessel of 75,000 dead weight. Ruogang explained in Lagos that port’s liquid berths would service vessels of up to the size of 45,000 dead weight with design flexibility for expansions, catering to an increase to a capacity of 160,000 deadweight. According to him, “the berth will be equipped with loading arms and connected by pipelines running along the breakwater to carry cargoes between tank farms and the vessels.
“There will be in-built technology that allows for screening and processing which will promote efficient movement of goods within 48 hour.” He explained that as part of efforts to speed up the construction of the port, the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) had injected $221million into the port, adding that the deep seaport project would boost economy of Lagos through the creation of 170,000 jobs and approximately $201 billion in revenue to state and federal agencies from taxes, royalties and duties.
Lekki Port is to create direct and indirect business revenue impact of $158billion in Nigeria when become operational. Also, approximately $20billion is to be spent by the port on employee salaries during the concession period, while revenue to federal agencies from taxes, royalties and duties will amount to approximately $201billion. It was gathered that the port would have an aggregate impact of $362billion on Nigerian economy over the term of concession. The CEO stressed that the port would also relieve the congestion at Lagos and Tincan Island ports.
