Dare Babalola
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the Federal Government’s $1 billion investment in the Lagos ports as part of a broader national modernisation plan aimed at boosting economic growth and improving trade efficiency.
In a statement on Tuesday, the party Lagos spokesman, Seye Oladejo, slammed opposition parties for criticising the project, arguing that the investment was designed to transform Nigeria into West Africa’s premier maritime hub.
He dismissed opposition claims that President Bola Tinubu had focused investments on Lagos ports, neglecting Warri, Calabar, Onne, and Port Harcourt ports, calling their commentary laughable.
Oladejo said, “This reckless statement only exposes, yet again, the opposition’s chronic ignorance of basic economics and governance.
“Their loud opinions are rarely backed by facts, figures, or even a faint understanding of national policy direction. The Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is not ‘neglecting’ any port.
“It is not a Lagos project – it is a Nigeria project, attracting foreign direct investment from China Harbour Engineering Company and Singapore’s Tolaram Group, both of whom saw in President Tinubu’s vision a business environment worth their billions.”
He stated that the administration had been implementing projects in Onne, Calabar, Port Harcourt, and Warri Ports, contrary to criticisms.
According to him, Tinubu’s administration is executing the Onne Port modernisation, including equipment upgrade and digitalisation, while also dredging the Calabar Port to increase draft depth and accommodate larger vessels.
He said that work on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Port complex, under a new concessionary framework, and the Warri Port corridor expansion, with new rail link integration to ease inland cargo movement, were ongoing.
“But of course, the opposition wouldn’t know this – they’re too busy tweeting ignorance and recycling talking points from the political dustbin,” he said.
According to him, the $1 billion Lagos Port investment is not “sabotage,” it is economic foresight.
“It is about creating jobs, boosting exports, and ending decades of inefficiency that have made Nigerian ports some of the most expensive in Africa.
“The Lekki Deep Sea Port, Nigeria’s first fully automated port, is already redefining port management, increasing turnaround time, and boosting revenue to government coffers.
“It is the kind of progress that threatens those whose only skill in politics is complaining without contributing,
“The only sabotage here is the opposition’s attempt to weaponise regional sentiments against national progress,” he said.
He said that Tinubu’s renewed hope remained a national agenda, and not a regional favour, saying “this administration’s commitment is holistic, inclusive, and nationwide.”
Oladejo said that governance is driven by strategy, not sentiment.
He said that Tinubu and the APC remained focused “on building a Nigeria that works – one port, one project, and one policy at a time.”
