Akwa Ibom Reps member seeks FG’s support towards establishment of Ibom Deep Seaport 

Earlier Today at the House of Reps, Honourable Unyime Josiah Presented a motion urging the Federal Government to collaborate with the Government of Akwa Ibom state for the establishment and realisation of the Ibom Deep Seaport.

Following the motion, which was co-sponsored by the other 9 members of Akwa Ibom caucus, the House of Representatives directed the federal government to collaborate with Akwa Ibom State Government to establish and realise the project.

The directive is to be carried out by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and other relevant agencies, working together with Akwa Ibom state government.

In the motion, He noted that the global economy is increasingly shaped by marine trade and the blue economy, which encompasses the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation, emphasizing that these resources remain largely untapped in Akwa Ibom State, leading to the loss of potential foreign direct investment (FDI) and reduced economic opportunities that could significantly improve the standard of living in the State and across the country.

The motion further buttressed that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) projected that the Ibom Deep Seaport could attract investments worth over $5.6 billion.

Unfortunately, The Ibom Deep Seaport project has remained stalled, hindering the development of intermodal transport systems, limiting Nigeria’s full participation in the blue economy, and weakening its export and logistics competitiveness.

He also highlighted that when realized, the Ibom Deep Seaport will directly stimulate local economies, create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, catalyze industrial growth, strengthen maritime value chains, and facilitate the full implementation of Export Processing Zones (EPZ) blueprints.

This is given the fact that Nigeria’s vast coastline and Akwa Ibom State’s strategic location on the Atlantic Ocean offer immense potential for export-driven economic expansion through the establishment of the Ibom Deep Seaport. The State produces several exportable commodities such as cocoa (a major non-oil export), palm oil, palm kernel, cassava, maize, timber, rubber, fish, and seafood. It is also proximate to abundant natural resources and solid minerals, including crude oil, natural gas, kaolin, and limestone, key materials for manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and construction.

The blue economy currently contributes about 2% to Nigeria’s GDP, and with the President’s strategic proposal to raise this to between 5% and 10%, the realization of the Ibom Deep Seaport would be a major driver in achieving this goal.

He therefore hopeful that the establishment and realization of the Ibom Deep Seaport will lead to the expansion of haulage networks, boost export capacity, attract foreign direct investments, and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s GDP.

Following the motion, the House mandated its Committees on National Planning and Economic Development, Ports and Harbours, Finance, and Shipping Services to conduct an oversight visit to the proposed project site, and, based on their findings, make appropriate recommendations to support its realization.