China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) on Monday handed over Nigeria’s first deep sea port to the government after the completion of the huge maritime project in the country’s economic hub, Lagos.
The Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, HE Cui Jianchun, noted that the port is expected to meet the needs of Nigeria’s economic development. As a commercial project of tripartite cooperation between China, France and Nigeria, Lekki port will be of great significance for promoting the Belt and Road cooperation in Africa.
Constructed by the CHEC, the Lekki Deep Sea Port is the largest seaport in Nigeria, and one of the biggest in West Africa. The construction of the port commenced in June 2020 and is designed to handle 1.2 million standard containers annually.
“This new port will position Lagos as a new maritime logistics hub not only in West Africa but in the whole Central and West African region” HE Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos said at the ceremony.
The newly completed project will create nearly 200,000 direct and indirect jobs in Nigeria in the coming years, unlock the country’s economic potential, and boost the country’s revenue, he said.
With the construction of Lekki port, Lagos’ Lekki area has become a hot place for investment, Deputy General Manager of the CHEC, Wu Di told reporters, adding that the port will soon be put into commercial operation and is full of development prospects. He expressed belief in the deep sea port bringing new development opportunities to Nigeria.
