President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to commission the newly developed Lekki deep seaport in the first quarter of 2023.
The Managing Director of the port, Du Ruogang, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the container terminal operator at the facility, Lekki Free Port Terminal (LFT), was putting everything in place to give a world-class port experience in sub-Saharan Africa.
He said that the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Shippers Council and other relevant agencies have been sensitised to play their roles in the port.
Ruogang applauded the media for its support while urging practitioners to extend the same support to the container terminal operator, Lekki Freeport Terminal, as it prepares to begin operations.
He said Lagos State Government has begun work on the construction of access roads to the port to ensure easy cargo movement.
Recall that while many stakeholders including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have applauded the development of the new port, they have expressed reservations and concerns evacuation of cargo from the facility by road will create traffic gridlock along the Lekki-Epe expressway.
Recently, the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo said the Federal Government would not allow the use of trucks to move cargo out of the port. He charged the operators to deploy barges for cargo evacuation.
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