President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment and development of Inland Dry Ports (IDP) in Ijebu-Ode and Moniya in Ogun State and Oyo State respectively, as part of his efforts to reduce congestion within seaports in Lagos, eliminate chronic delays and boost the nation’s economy.
The Inland Dry Ports, when completed, will generate jobs for the teaming youths of Ogun and Oyo States and other States in the Western part of the Country.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday, during the 2025 Budget Defence to the Joint Committee of the Senate on Marine Transport and House of Representatives Committees on Ports and Harbour, Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, Inland Waterways and Shipping Services.
These IDPs, Oyrtola said, are targeted for fast tracked delivery to decongest the Western Port System. Design consultancies for the project, the Minister said, are on-going.
The notable deficiencies in the maritime sector such as general infrastructure decay, silted river courses, inadequate fish production, and inadequate river crafts, Oyetola said, require major attention.
The Ministry, he said, is therefore initiating several projects and programmes aimed at addressing these challenges
Speaking further, Oyeyola added that the Federal Government is determined to consolidate and sustain the achievements and performances it recorded last year, by focusing on ports infrastructural development, increased fish production, maritime safety and security, information technology deployment to improve operation and revenue generation, human capacity building and the effective technical and economic regulation to ensure the strengthening of blue economy across the country.
Under the 2024 appropriation, Oyetola said, the Ministry finalised the preparation of the Nigeria’s National Blue Economy Strategy. the Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, the Strategic Roadmap for Nigeria’s Blue Economy and the National Policy for Marine and Blue Economy.
These documents, he said, are the foundation for a sound policy framework for the Ministry.
His words: “I feel greatly honoured to address the Joint Committee of the Senate on Marine Transport and House Committees on Ports and Harbour, Marine Safety, Education and Administration: Inland Waterways and Committee on Shipping Services on the occasion of 2025 Budget Defence.
Oyetola said: “Today’s Budget Defence is in respect of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the laying of the Government Owned Enterprises (GOE’s) budget before you which include the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron and Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria.
“For the purpose of clarity, the Minister stated that “three of the Agencies under the Ministry, namely: NPA, NIMASA, and NSC, are fully self-funding and make significant remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF/TSA). The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron derives their funding from both the FGN Budget and Internally Generated Revenue. The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) based on my passionate plea has been readmitted into the budget for funding albeit, erroneously under the Federal Ministry of Transport. I trust that you will rectify this. The five Agencies under the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector (Institutes and Colleges) are expected to come fully under the Ministry in the 2025 Budget.
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