Tinubu Hails Bakassi Port As Catalyst For Economic Growth

The $3.5 billion Bakassi Deep Seaport project, according to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a significant step toward resolving decades of delays and growing Nigeria’s maritime economy. Purchase Maps

After representing the President at the groundbreaking ceremony in Bakassi, Cross River State, on Friday, Vise President Kashim Shettima revealed this in a post on his official X account.

According to Tinubu, the project would help establish Nigeria and Cross River State as top locations for blue economy investment. Purchase Maps

Speaking at the ceremony via Shettima, the President stated that his visit was not just a formal occasion but also the start of a project that had experienced protracted delays.

He said he was not in Calabar “to cut a ribbon and dance Ekpe masquerade” but to “break ground and break a centuries-old jinx.”

“Many people believed this port would never happen. They said it would be a pipe dream. They said Bakassi would only be remembered for what we lost. Today, we answer them with a shovel, with concrete, with steel, and with hope, a renewed hope that a dream deferred can become a dream actualised,” he added.

The $3.5 billion project is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and support economic development in Cross River State.

We are delighted by this development and hopeful that the Bakassi Deep Seaport will transform trade, strengthen the maritime economy, and create new opportunities for the region and the country.