Ogun’s Coastal Highway Set to Finish This Year as Deep Sea Port Gains Momentum

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has announced that the 28-kilometre section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway running through Ogun State will be finished before the end of 2026. He said this important project has boosted plans for the Ogun Deep Sea Port and other key investments along the state’s coast.

The governor spoke while opening the reconstructed Gao-Ibiade Road in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area. He said the coastal highway would unlock Ogun Waterside's economic potential by providing the necessary infrastructure for industrial growth, maritime development, and large-scale investments.

Mr Abiodun praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for starting the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. He called it a bold national project that will create many economic chances for Ogun State and help trade, investment, tourism, and connections across Nigeria.

He shared that he got new assurances from the officials working on the project that the Ogun section of the highway would be ready by the end of the year.

The governor explained that his government worked hard to ensure the highway aligns with the Ogun Deep Sea Port. The road will be built between three to five kilometres from the coastline.

He said the lack of a good evacuation route had been the main challenge for the Deep Sea Port’s development. The Sagamu-Benin Expressway, which is about 35 kilometres from the coast, was the only access route before now.

“Today, with the coastal road coming just a few kilometres from the coastline, everybody now wants to build a port in Ogun Waterside,” he said.

Governor Abiodun noted that the better road connections have increased investor confidence in the coastal area. Ogun Waterside is now seen as a great spot for major maritime and industrial projects.

He also mentioned that talks with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) are moving ahead to revive the long-dormant Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas (OKLNG) project. The company has stepped up oil exploration in the region to find commercial reserves.

According to the governor, the combination of the coastal highway, the planned Deep Sea Port, oil exploration, and the revived OKLNG project will turn Ogun Waterside into one of the fastest-growing economic areas in Nigeria. This will create many jobs and increase the state’s revenue.

“The Ogun State Deep Sea Port will become a reality in Ogun Waterside. That Deep Sea Port will be the best in Sub-Saharan Africa. There will be no port like it anywhere in Nigeria,” the governor promised.

He also shared plans to set up a naval base and dockyard in the proposed port area to improve maritime security and support commercial shipping.

Looking back at Ogun Waterside's history, Mr Abiodun expressed sadness over years of neglect despite its huge economic potential. He recalled that when he first visited in the 1990s, the area had no good roads, reliable telecommunications, or basic infrastructure.

He said his government is committed to changing that story by investing in roads and vital infrastructure to prepare the local government for what he calls an upcoming socio-economic change.

As part of this infrastructure push, the governor announced that the reconstruction of the J4-Gao Road would start soon. The rest of the section linking the route to Abigi, the local government headquarters, will also be fixed.

He explained that the newly reconstructed Gao-Ibiade Road is part of a larger plan to prepare Ogun Waterside for the expected increase in economic activities that will come with the coastal highway, the Deep Sea Port, and other key investments.

Mr Abiodun reaffirmed his government's promise to develop all parts of Ogun State equally. He noted that infrastructure projects continue to reach all 20 local government areas, keeping his promise to spread development fairly across the state.