Dangote Submits Proposal for Mega Seaport, Targets Gas Export Market

Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, has begun the formal process to develop what he describes as Nigeria’s largest and deepest seaport at Olokola in Ogun State. The move underscores Dangote’s continued expansion into maritime logistics and builds on his multibillion-dollar industrial investments across the country.

In an interview with Bloomberg in Lagos on Monday, Dangote revealed that he filed the necessary documentation for the project in late June.

The proposed port, located roughly 100 kilometers from Dangote’s massive refinery and fertilizer complex in Lekki, is expected to facilitate the export of products such as fertilizer, petrochemicals, and liquefied natural gas (LNG), while also improving import logistics for machinery and raw materials.

“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, expressing confidence that the project could attract further private investment into Nigeria’s underdeveloped port infrastructure.

Currently, the company uses an on-site jetty to export urea and fertilizer and to receive heavy equipment for its refinery operations.

If approved, the Atlantic seaport will compete directly with existing facilities in Lagos, including the newly completed Lekki Deep Sea Port, which began operations in 2023 with backing from Chinese investors. The project also marks Dangote’s return to the Olokola site after he previously abandoned plans to build his refinery and fertilizer plant there due to disputes with local authorities. Those issues appear to have been resolved under the current administration.

Earlier this year, Dangote indicated that the group was ready to re-engage with the Olokola Free Trade Zone in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.

Beyond the seaport, Dangote also plans to export liquefied gas from Lagos, a project that will require building new pipelines from the Niger Delta, Nigeria’s major oil and gas-producing region.

“We want to do a major project to bring more gas than what NLNG is doing today,” said Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Dangote Group. He was referring to Nigeria LNG Ltd., the country’s largest LNG exporter and a joint venture involving the government and global energy companies Shell, Eni, and TotalEnergies.

“We know where there is a lot of gas, so run a pipeline all through and then bring it to the shore,” Edwin added.

Dangote already sources natural gas from the Niger Delta for his fertilizer operations, where it is used as feedstock to produce hydrogen for ammonia, a critical ingredient in fertilizer production.

In addition, the billionaire plans to begin distributing fuel directly to Nigerian retailers starting in August, using a fleet of 4,000 gas-powered trucks. The initiative has sparked criticism from some groups who accuse him of seeking to dominate the oil sector—an allegation he has denied.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s net worth stands at $27.8 billion. His business empire also includes Africa’s largest cement manufacturing operations and extensive sugar production assets.