According to Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Nigeria is deploying cutting-edge technologies to improve the competitiveness of its marine industry internationally. Speaking on behalf of Peter Mbam, Oyetola underlined that this is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Blue Economy agenda during the inauguration of the Nigerian Institution of Facilities Engineering and Management (NIFEngM) executive committee in Port Harcourt. He cited the Lekki Deep Sea Port as an example of Innovation and emphasised the critical role facility engineers play in planning, building, and maintaining maritime infrastructure.
The blue Economy emphasises the sustainable use of ocean resources to boost the economy, create jobs, and save the environment. The government is supporting this by incorporating big data, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence into the Construction of infrastructure. SDG 7 (cheap energy), SDG 9 (industry and innovation), and SDG 14 (life below water) are three of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that Nigeria is committed to, Oyetola reaffirmed. Additionally, he conveyed his faith in the new NIFEngM leadership’s capacity to assist with these projects.
Nig’s 1st automated port is a perfect illustration of this approach.
Also, the recently elected NIFEngM chairman, Christopher Egwuatu, promised to promote innovation via industry cooperation, advocacy, and capacity building. He reiterated the group’s contribution to the development of facilities engineering and management in Nigeria. Vice President of the NSE Aluyah Okodugha also asked the administration to give sector growth-supporting measures top priority. The blue economy plan of Nigeria is centred on the sustainable use of ocean resources to maintain marine ecosystems, boost economic growth, and enhance livelihoods. Global initiatives to maximise ocean potential while maintaining Environmental Sustainability are in line with this strategy.
Nigeria wants to improve its standing in International Trade and support the growth of the marine industry worldwide by investing in maritime Infrastructure and using cutting-edge technologies. Nigeria’s first completely automated port, the Lekki Deep Sea Port, is a perfect illustration of this approach in operation. The port can handle ships with up to 15,000 containers thanks to its Super Post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes and Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes. By streamlining cargo handling, cutting down on turnaround times, and minimising human error, this automation boosts maritime trade’s Productivity and competitiveness.
It can accommodate the largest cargo ships in the world.
By more than tripling Lagos’ ports’ cargo capacity, the Lekki Deep Sea Port greatly improves Nigeria’s maritime competitiveness. It can accommodate the largest cargo ships in the world by berthing ships four times larger than those now handled at Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports. By lowering cargo wait times from more than 50 days to just two days, this capability is anticipated to establish Nigeria as a regional hub and increase the GDP of the nation.
Additionally, the port has been praised by industry professionals for its potential significance. According to a study from Olisa Agbakoba Legal “The Lekki Deep Sea Port is poised to become the most advanced and deepest seaport in West Africa, offering vital support to the region’s growing commercial operations in Lagos State, Nigeria, and beyond.” Even with these developments, problems still exist. Inadequate road networks and a lack of rail facilities for freight evacuation may cause traffic to build up around the port.
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Furthermore, the long-term Sustainability of the port is threatened by encroachment on land intended for future growth. It will take strategic planning and infrastructure Investment to address these problems. In order to secure sustainable development, Nigeria’s blue economy plan should concentrate on integrating Multimodal Transport systems, improving regulatory frameworks to draw in further investment, and fortifying environmental rules. By tackling these issues, Nigeria can strengthen its position in international marine Trade and reach the full potential of its blue economy.