The Federal Government has approved the upgrade and modernisation of Onne and Rivers ports, bringing the facilities into a wider plan to improve Nigeria’s port infrastructure and expand maritime activity beyond Lagos.
The approval was announced on Sunday by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who said Onne and Rivers ports would be among four eastern ports targeted for modernisation alongside Delta and Calabar ports.
The move comes as the Federal Government looks to increase the capacity of existing ports and create more options for businesses moving goods into and out of the country.
Oyetola said the upgrades are expected to improve cargo handling, reduce the time vessels spend at ports and strengthen connections between the ports and other parts of the country.
For Rivers State, the decision is particularly significant because of the role Onne already plays in the state’s oil and gas and wider industrial economy.
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The government is also pursuing the development of the proposed Bonny Deep Seaport, meaning Rivers could eventually have both upgraded existing port infrastructure and a new deep-sea facility.
Oyetola said the government’s broader maritime plan would link ports with road, rail and inland-waterway networks to make the movement of cargo more efficient.
However, details of the Onne and Rivers port upgrade remain limited. The government has not yet announced the total cost of the project, how it will be financed, when physical work will begin, or the specific facilities that will be upgraded.
That means the immediate development is the approval itself. The eventual effect on businesses in Rivers will depend on how quickly the government moves from approval to implementation.
For now, the decision puts Onne and Rivers ports firmly within the Federal Government’s latest push to expand Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and reduce pressure on the country’s existing gateways.
