Charles Onunaiju, Director of Nigeria Center For China Studies has described the newly completed Lekki Deep Sea Port as a confirmation of China’s Goodwill to Nigeria.
Recall that China Habour Engineering LFTZ Enterprise (CHELE), a subsidiary of China Habour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC), had on Tuesday announced the completion and handover of the $1.5billion Sea Port, the largest in West Africa.
The seaport, projected to be a significant game-changer in Nigeria’s maritime economy was financed by China Development Bank (CBD).
The multi-Purpose facility is expected to grow the Nigerian economy, create about 170,000 direct and indirect jobs and generate over $201 billion in revenue for both Lagos State and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Mr Onunaiju, in an exclusive interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, said the Chinese government within the framework of its Belt and Road Initiative, a centrepiece of President Xi Jinping’s foreign policy has invested significantly in Nigeria’s infrastructural transformation thus contributing to the nation’s growth and development through job creation and revenue generation.
His words, “The Lekki Deep Sea Port was an almost $ 2 billion project invested by the Chinese and contracted to them. So what we are going to see is a massive injection, and revival of Nigeria’s maritime industry, putting Nigeria as a hub of the maritime industry in West Africa.
“For the first time, we are going to have a deep sea port, big ships will be coming. That is why our people travel to Cotonou to clear their goods because they have a deep sea port and it’s cheaper to clear there. Now with Lekki Deep Sea Port, there will be no need for that because we can have big ships making calls to our ports.
“This is the first-ever Nigeria Deep Sea Port. What we have before now is a seaport but not a deep sea port and now we are going to have it and this is thanks to our engagement with China through the Belt and Road Initiative. This initiative consists of infrastructure construction both maritime, over land, sky and fibre. So this is a major component, a very clear harvest of our engagement with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
“Several power plants have gone upstream, railway lines, road networks have all come upstream. As you know, almost more than 200 Chinese companies are participating in Nigeria’s re-industrialization.”
The foreign policy expert stated that the re-election of President Xi Jinping will translate to better relations and more tangible outcomes for Nigeria in the years ahead.
“We look forward to more concrete outcomes in China-Nigeria relations in the next five years. From this 20th congress to the next congress in 2027, we will see a more tangible outcome. We will see more practical outcomes. We will see a significant improvement in China’s input into Africa’s existential challenge. We will see all-round cooperation, concrete deliverables, and practical tangible outcomes in China-Africa cooperation in the next five years,” he added.
The Lekki Deep Sea Port is a joint venture enterprise comprising the Lekki Port Investment Holdings, the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
