Dangote Files Paperwork for Nigeria’s Largest Seaport, Eyes LNG Export via Niger Delta Pipeline

Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, has officially initiated plans to develop what he describes as Nigeria’s largest and deepest seaport at Olokola in Ogun State. The ambitious project marks a new phase in the billionaire’s expanding industrial footprint and a strategic foray into the maritime logistics sector.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg on Monday, Dangote revealed that paperwork for the proposed Atlantic seaport was submitted in late June. The site lies about 100 kilometres from his refinery and fertilizer complex in Lagos’s Lekki Free Trade Zone and is expected to ease exports of key products including urea, petrochemicals, and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

“It’s not that we want to do everything by ourselves,” Dangote said. “But I think doing this will encourage other entrepreneurs to come into it.”

Dangote already exports fertilizer via a private jetty and imports heavy equipment through the same facility. The proposed Olokola port, if approved, is expected to rival existing seaports in Lagos, including the Chinese-funded Lekki Deep Sea Port, which began operations in 2023.

This move also signals a return to Olokola for Dangote, who initially planned to site his refinery and fertilizer plant there but relocated after disputes with local authorities—issues that now appear resolved under the current administration.

In a related development, the Dangote Group has unveiled plans to begin exporting LNG from Lagos. According to the company’s Vice President, Devakumar Edwin, the project involves building pipelines from the gas-rich Niger Delta to the coast.

“We want to do a major project to bring more gas than what NLNG is doing today,” Edwin said, referencing Nigeria LNG Ltd., Africa’s current largest LNG exporter and a joint venture between the federal government, Shell, Eni, and TotalEnergies.

Dangote already sources natural gas from the Niger Delta to power fertilizer production, using hydrogen derived from the gas to create ammonia, a key ingredient in crop nutrients.

In addition, the group is set to begin nationwide fuel distribution from August using a fleet of 4,000 gas-powered trucks. The move has sparked criticism from some quarters alleging attempts at market dominance—an accusation Dangote has rejected.

With a net worth of $27.8 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s business empire includes cement, sugar, fertilizer, oil refining, and now a growing interest in seaport infrastructure and gas exports.

The Olokola port and LNG export initiative are poised to significantly boost Nigeria’s logistics capacity and global energy presence.