Written By: David Simeon

A New Shoreline for Nigerian Trade

The Apapa Wharf simply put can be described in one word, chaotic — endless delays, added levies, container backlogs, and a terrible amount of paperwork. Despite Nigeria’s coastline that stretches approximately 853 kilometers along the Atlantic Ocean, the potentials of these ports are yet to be utilized.

Up until now

Well not all the ports, but something bold is stirring in the coastline between Ogun and Ondo state—Olokola. The Aliko Dangote team plans to construct Nigeria’s largest and deepest seaport, and it's not just for convenience, but could significantly reshape Nigeria logistics as we know it.

Olokola is nothing like sister and brother ports of Lagos — it's meant to serve Dangote's refinery, his fertilizer plants, and most importantly, his exports. It’s a port designed to function on its own terms, fast, private, and efficient. And in doing so, it may just change the course of Nigerian trade.

From Exports to Economic Shift

The Dangote's refinery is a massive infrastructure, It’s the largest single-train refinery in the world. Right now, he relies on the Lekki Port for transportation. But it’s not his. And that matters.

With Olokola, he aims to connect every dot: crude oil arrives by pipeline, gets refined, then flows directly to tankers waiting at his private dock. No middlemen. No delays. No customs-induced headaches. Just movement — smooth, fast, profitable.

In doing so this would mean losses from inefficient would be greatly reduced — and at the same time retaining dollars earned from exportation. In a country plagued by forex shortages, this matters more than most people realize.

Because every dollar earned from exports strengthens the economy’s ability to withstand shocks. And every naira saved from curbing inefficiency is one less burden on local businesses.

Another quiet but crucial benefit lies in job creation. With the Olokola port operating at full scale, thousands of direct and indirect jobs are expected to emerge — from marine engineers and logistics officers to dock workers and customs handlers. This could spark an industrial revival in Ogun and Ondo, attracting new talent and reducing youth unemployment in these states.

It's Dangote's seaport so why care?

Well, simply put, it isn't just about Dangote. If scaled right, Olokola could serve the cocoa farmers in Ondo, the cement makers in Ogun, and the manufacturers across the Southwest. It could unlock a regional logistics corridor unlike anything we've had.

And with the road and rail infrastructure catching up, Olokola could connect Nigeria to landlocked West African countries, serving as a major export-import hub far from the chaos of Lagos.

A Port Beyond Profit

But progress never travels in a straight line. The Olokola project has been in the works for nearly two decades. The initial plans were riddled with setbacks — land disputes, political turf wars, and Shifting Government Priorities.

Even now, critics ask: is this another private empire in the making? Will it truly benefit ordinary Nigerians, or just help one conglomerate get richer? These are fair questions.

Yet, there’s also a deeper truth. Dangote has done what governments haven’t. He’s built roads where there were none, power plants where darkness reigned, and now — potentially — a port where stagnation once ruled.

If this port succeeds, it might force everyone else to raise their game. It might prove that Nigeria doesn’t need to keep settling for broken systems. We can build better.

The local communities surrounding Olokola stand to benefit in more ways than trade. If managed inclusively, the port’s development could as well bring improved infrastructure like schools, health centers, and clean water projects. In past projects, Dangote has demonstrated a pattern of corporate social responsibility — and locals hope this one will follow suit.

Olokola’s success will rest not just on concrete and cranes, but on its ability to inspire trust — from traders, regulators, shippers, and surrounding communities.

Olokola has something to say about Naira too

It might sound like a stretch, but Olokola could help ease pressure on the naira. And here’s how: more exports mean more dollar earnings. That strengthens foreign reserves and reduces our reliance on imported refined fuel.

With the Dangote Refinery already promising to cut fuel imports by 80%, the ability to export excess products efficiently through Olokola means we save foreign exchange — and maybe even earn a surplus.

Right now, the naira is caught in a storm of inflation, limited production, and dollar scarcity. But infrastructure like this creates room to breathe.

It doesn’t solve every problem, but it adds balance. It gives Nigeria something to trade with — and trade confidence is often the missing link in restoring currency strength.

There’s a symbolic value at play. When a nation builds export infrastructure of this scale, it sends a message to international markets: we’re open, capable, and serious. This perception shift can help reduce risk premiums, attract better credit ratings, and open doors for more favorable international loans or trade agreements.

When global buyers can count on timely shipments from Nigeria, they invest more. When investors see functioning ports, they believe in the economy. When traders don’t lose money to delays, they grow. That’s how nations become resilient.

A Sign of Something Bigger

Beyond exports, beyond revenue, Olokola is symbolic. It says Nigeria is tired of waiting for things to work — so we’ll build what we need ourselves. It says if public infrastructure fails, private effort can pick up the bricks.

It’s not all about replacing thegovernment, but about waking it up. Projects like this remind us that the solution to our economic chaos may not be in speeches, but in cranes and bulldozers. In logistics done right.

Although there has been no fixed date for the physical commencement of the project, as of mid-July all the paperwork has now been filled — which marks the formal start.

Olokola may be remote now, but in ten years, it could be a bustling hub. A place where ships dock daily, goods flow smoothly, and Nigeria finally takes a confident step into the global marketplace — not as a begging trader, but as a reliable partner.