Ogun State Government has approved the release of 130 hectares of land along the Epe/Mojoda expressway in Ijebu Ode to the Federal Government for the proposed Ijebu Ode Port Terminal Project.
The development followed a formal request by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, in a letter addressed to Governor Dapo Abiodun, CON, dated June 26, 2025.
Analysts have described the project as a major step that will boost national trade, economic growth, and development. They noted that the port will ease the congestion around the Lagos port system, increase the nation’s GDP, and strengthen the Ogun State industrial hub initiative currently being pursued by the administration.
The facility is expected to serve as a cargo consolidation and distribution hub for the South-West region. It will also enhance competitiveness, facilitate trade in Ogun State, and promote serenity by adding aesthetic value to the immediate neighbourhood.
The dry port, which is planned to be linked to the Lekki Deep Sea Port by a rail system, is also expected to connect the proposed Kajola and Moniya Ibadan Dry Ports as well as the Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport to the same rail network.
According to stakeholders, the siting of the port within the Economic Development Cluster of Ijebu Ode will enhance the competitiveness of the cluster through an efficient logistics and transportation system. It will also reduce production costs and further attract industrial investments.
Governor Abiodun, while speaking on the approval, said: “The Ijebu-Ode Inland Dry Port and the Gateway International Airport are critical enablers of industrialization and regional competitiveness. Together, they will transform Ogun State into a logistics and economic powerhouse, creating prosperity for our people and opportunities for Nigeria at large.”
With the Kajola Inland Dry Port already secured for the Ogun Central Industrial Cluster and now the Ijebu-Ode Inland Dry Port for the Eastern corridor, Ogun State is balancing industrial growth across its three Senatorial Districts to ensure equity and sustainable development.
It will be recalled that in January 2025, President Bola Tinubu approved the establishment and development of Inland Dry Ports in Ijebu-Ode and Moniya in Ogun and Oyo States respectively. This was part of his effort to reduce congestion within Lagos seaports, eliminate chronic delays, and boost the national economy.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Oyetola, disclosed this earlier in Abuja during the 2025 Budget Defence before the Joint Committee of the Senate on Marine Transport and House of Representatives Committees on Ports and Harbour, Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, Inland Waterways and Shipping Services.
He explained that when completed, the Inland Dry Ports will generate jobs for youths in Ogun and Oyo States as well as other parts of the South-West. Oyetola also said the projects were targeted for fast-tracked delivery to decongest the Western Port System. According to him, design consultancies for the projects are already ongoing.
The Minister further highlighted key challenges facing the maritime sector, including infrastructure decay, silted river courses, inadequate fish production, and shortage of river crafts. He stressed that these deficiencies require urgent attention.
His words: “I feel greatly honoured to address the Joint Committee of the Senate on Marine Transport and House Committees on Ports and Harbour, Marine Safety, Education and Administration: Inland Waterways and Committee on Shipping Services on the occasion of 2025 Budget Defence.”
Oyetola added that the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is initiating several projects and programmes to address the challenges and ensure sustainable growth in the maritime sector.