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By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives on Tuesday called for a robust partnership between the Federal Government and the Akwa Ibom State Government to actualise the long-awaited Ibom Deep Seaport, a multi-billion-dollar initiative expected to transform Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy sectors.
This followed the adoption of a motion jointly sponsored by ten lawmakers from Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Unyime Idem, Hon. Clement Jimbo, Hon. Martin Esin, Hon. Etteh Okpolupm Ikpong, Hon. Ukpong-Udo Emmanuel, Hon. Uduak Odudoh, Hon. Patrick Umoh, Hon. Okon Ime, Hon. Paul Ekpo, and Hon. Mark Esset.
Presenting the motion titled “Call for Collaboration between the Federal and Akwa Ibom State Governments for the Establishment of Ibom Deep Seaport,” the lawmakers emphasized that global economic growth is increasingly driven by marine trade and the blue economy, the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic advancement, job creation, and improved livelihoods.
They lamented that despite Akwa Ibom’s strategic coastal advantage and vast resource base, the state’s maritime potential remains largely underutilised, a situation that has cost Nigeria valuable foreign direct investments (FDI) and reduced export productivity.
Referencing a 2022 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report, the lawmakers noted that infrastructural deficiencies across Nigerian ports have curtailed the nation’s export potential by up to 40 percent.
According to projections by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Ibom Deep Seaport could attract investments exceeding $5.6 billion, spur industrial growth, strengthen maritime value chains, and drive the implementation of Export Processing Zone (EPZ) strategies once completed.
The motion further observed that Nigeria’s current port facilities, with a total handling capacity of about 1.7 trillion TEUs, are overstretched, resulting in congestion, shipment delays, and high logistics costs that undermine export competitiveness and national growth.
The sponsors also highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a crucial opportunity to enhance Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure, citing projections by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) that intra-African trade could rise from 18 to 52 percent by 2030.
They recalled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s remarks at the 2025 WAES and ECOWAS Summits, where he stated:
“AfCFTA is Nigeria’s runway to industrial transformation. We must break the barriers that have made us a nation of traders, not manufacturers. Our borders must become bridges, not bottlenecks.”
The motion further revealed that while the blue economy currently contributes about 2 percent to Nigeria’s GDP, the President’s target of raising it to between 5 and 10 percent underscores the strategic importance of the Ibom Deep Seaport in achieving that objective.
Lawmakers expressed concern that continued delays in the project’s execution have hindered the development of intermodal transport networks, weakened Nigeria’s logistics competitiveness, and limited its participation in the global blue economy.
Following deliberation, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and other relevant bodies to engage with the Akwa Ibom State Government to fast-track the establishment of the seaport.
The House also mandated its Committees on National Planning and Economic Development, Ports and Harbours, Finance, and Shipping Services to conduct an oversight visit to the proposed site, make recommendations to support the project, and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
Lawmakers believe that once realised, the Ibom Deep Seaport will serve as a major hub for export-oriented industrialisation, generate thousands of jobs, attract significant foreign investments, and elevate Nigeria’s status in the global maritime trade arena.