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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday said the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone will attract more than $7 billion in initial investment and create over 50,000 direct jobs, as Nigeria intensifies efforts to expand its maritime economy and non-oil exports.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu spoke in Paris, France, at the signing of Memoranda of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World, one of the world’s leading port and logistics operators, for the development of the two projects.

The President assured domestic and foreign investors that the Federal Government would provide regulatory clarity, policy stability and a predictable business environment necessary to support long-term investments, while removing bureaucratic obstacles capable of delaying implementation.

‘These agreements envisage an initial investment of more than $7 billion in the Nigerian economy. At full development, the projects are projected to create more than 50,000 direct jobs and many additional indirect opportunities, while generating substantial non-oil export earnings from Nigerians’ creativity and productivity across the value chain’, Tinubu said.

He described the agreements as a major milestone in the administration’s drive to attract foreign direct investment, expand productive capacity and position Nigeria as a major hub for maritime trade, logistics, manufacturing and exports.

‘This is economic diversification made tangible. This is industrialisation made visible. This is Renewed Hope in action’, the President said.

According to the project plan, the Gateway Deep Seaport, to be located at Ogun Waterside, will have a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, enabling it to accommodate larger, deeper-draft vessels used in modern global commerce.

The port is expected to ease pressure on the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos, reduce congestion along the Lagos port corridor and cut costs and delays faced by importers, exporters and consumers.

It is also expected to provide a competitive logistics gateway into the African Continental Free Trade Area, giving Nigeria stronger access to a continental market of about 1.4 billion people.

Ogun deep seaport

The accompanying Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone is proposed to occupy 10,000 hectares and host manufacturing and industrial activities linked directly to the new port.

Tinubu said the combination of the port and special economic zone would enable imported inputs to be converted into finished products within Nigeria while domestic raw materials would be processed for export.

‘Within the zone, imported inputs will be transformed into finished goods, Nigerian raw materials will be processed for export and, most importantly, our young men and women will find dignified, productive and sustainable employment.

‘The Gateway Deep Seaport is the critical infrastructure that will support the zone’s viability. A port moves cargo; a port integrated with a special economic zone helps to build an economy. Each reinforces the other’, he said.

The President said the Federal Government would provide the regulatory and institutional support required to move the projects from agreements to implementation, adding that all parties would also be held accountable for their commitments.

‘We will facilitate road, rail and power connectivity; strengthen investment security and our maritime domain; and remove unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles’, he said.

Tinubu commended Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and his administration for securing the land, structuring the investment framework and reducing risks for prospective global investors, describing the partnership between the federal and state governments as an example of cooperative federalism.

He said the Federal Government would continue to work with Ogun and other states to remove investment bottlenecks and facilitate projects capable of creating economic value and employment while ensuring compliance with the country’s laws and regulatory requirements.

The President said the projects were particularly significant because Nigeria’s strategic location at the heart of West African trade had for years been undermined by congestion, inadequate port draft capacity and logistics bottlenecks that raised the cost of doing business.

‘Nigeria lies at the heart of West African trade. Yet, our strategic advantage has been constrained by port congestion, inadequate draft capacity and logistics bottlenecks that increase the cost of doing business. These projects respond directly to those constraints.

‘This is how modern infrastructure should be delivered: as an integrated ecosystem, operated to world-class standards and supported by a serious and responsible government. This is nation-building in its most practical form’, Tinubu said.

Tinubu identified the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a critical component of the emerging economic corridor, saying the 28-kilometre Ogun section of the 700-kilometre highway was scheduled for completion before the end of 2026.

According to him, the highway will connect the port and economic zone more effectively with Lagos, Nigeria’s hinterland and markets across the African continent.

‘Without it, the coastline would have remained rich in potential but without access. With it, the zone and port will connect more effectively to Lagos, the Nigerian hinterland and markets across the African continent’, he said.

The President said the projects would also anchor a wider strategic corridor around the proposed Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard and the OK LNG Project, linking the emerging industrial cluster with Nigeria’s energy and gas-export ambitions.

He urged Ogun State and the investors to sustain the momentum generated by the agreements and proceed expeditiously to implementation.

Governor Abiodun led the Ogun State delegation to the ceremony, accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, commissioners responsible for finance, works, industry, trade and investment and transport, as well as a representative of the host community.

Also present were the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; Nigeria’s Ambassador to France, Emmanuel Ayodele Oke; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho; Group Chief Executive Officer of DP World, Yuvraj Narayan; Managing Director of SkyKapital, Karim Noujaim; and DP World’s Senior Vice President for Business Development, Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Office, Mohammed Rashid Ismail.

‘The agreements before us bring together vision, expertise, capital and execution capacity. I particularly welcome DP World, one of the world’s leading port and logistics operators’, Tinubu said.

He added that strengthening Nigeria’s maritime economy remained central to the administration’s broader economic diversification strategy, with the government determined to turn the country’s geographical advantage into increased manufacturing, exports, jobs and investment.

The six-year-old pupil swept away by floodwaters on Nibo-Isiagu Road in Awka, Anambra State has been found dead, thereby ending the search and rescue launched by the police and community members.

The deceased, Success Ezenwafor, a primary school pupil, was on his way to school on Tuesday when the school bus conveying him and other occupants was trapped by floodwaters.

Nine other occupants of the vehicle, seven schoolchildren and two adults, were rescued by operatives of the state Police Command, in collaboration with some residents.

They were taken to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (Amaku), Awka, where they are recovering.

Success, however, was carried away by the flood and remained missing until his remains were recovered yesterday morning.

A message by the family described the incident as painful.

‘Every other occupant of the vehicle was rescued and taken to Amaku where they are recovering well except for Success, whom the flood carried away.

‘With total submission to God, we announce that our little son, Success Ezenwafor, has joined the Church triumphant,’ the statement read.

The family said arrangements were being made to move his remains to their hometown, Ula, Ekwulobia.

Earlier, Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, had confirmed that the command’s Safe School Operatives rescued nine victims after receiving a distress call about the incident.

President of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Samuel Oladele, has urged fellow Nigerians to exercise patience with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration ahead of next year’s general election.

He said some of the economic reforms the Tinubu administration is implementing may be very painful in the ‘short term’ but could produce positive results in the long run with his re-election.

The renowned cleric spoke yesterday during the ongoing Pastors’ Conference of the CAC at Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State.

The Nation reports that the event brought together thousands of pastors, apostles, and other church leaders across the country.

Oladele noted that leadership, especially one saddled with power, requires difficult decisions that might initially impose hardship on the people.

He said the outcome of such decisions should ultimately be measured by whether or not they improve the welfare and living conditions of the people.

The CAC cleric, who acknowledged the economic hardship being experienced by Nigerians following the removal of the fuel subsidy, asked fellow Nigerians to endure the pain temporarily.

‘I appeal that we should also endure, give them more time, provided that all we are going through will eventually result in smiles on the faces of Nigerian people,’ Oladele said.

The cleric said Nigerians should not lose hope over the current economic difficulties, appealing to them to give the government time to implement its policies and address some of the challenges confronting the country.

Oladele said: ‘I think it is not easy to rule or to be a leader. Sometimes, as a leader, you have to take certain measures that can be painful to people, provided that in the end, we are going to smile.

‘So, we are praying for those who are in government and wish them well. Whether or not the fuel subsidy should be removed, the government knows the nitty-gritty of this.

‘We know that there is hardship everywhere, but when a woman is pregnant, do you think giving birth to a baby is easy? Consider the pain and everything she has to endure until that baby is born.’

The CAC president also said decisions concerning fuel subsidy were complex and better understood by those responsible for running the government.

Oladele urged politicians and political leaders across the country to place the welfare of Nigerians above personal and political interests.

The cleric also appealed to those seeking to occupy or are occupying public offices to embrace righteousness, integrity, and piety to discharge their responsibilities.

According to him, political leadership should not be reduced to the pursuit of personal enrichment or self-interest, but should be directed towards improving the lives of citizens.

‘Let’s not allow the politicians in our country to be deluded into believing that they can govern without God.

‘God teaches us how to rule in righteousness and integrity, and how to take care of the people and ensure their welfare,’ Oladele said.

He advised the political leaders to draw lessons from the Bible in carrying out their responsibilities, saying the scriptures condemn corruption, self-aggrandisement and other practices that undermine good governance.

‘When you read the word of God, you will see that self-interest, personal aggrandisement and all sorts of evils that people commit while in office are condemned. The Bible will tell you, no, you can’t do that. So, let our politicians return to the Bible,’ the cleric said.

The CAC president said differences in political opinions should not be interpreted as a division within the Christian faith, stressing that people were created with different perspectives and convictions.

He urged the Christian community to respect legitimate differences of opinion while allowing God’s will to prevail.

‘God has wired us differently, and we cannot all think alike. So, some people can be for Tinubu, while others can also be against him. Everyone is free to take whichever side he or she thinks is suitable.

‘God has not made us a carbon copy of one another; so, there are bound to be differences in opinions and different shades of opinion. In the end, the will of God shall come to pass,’ the CAC President said.

Speaking on the purpose of the annual conference, Oladele said the gathering was designed to deepen the understanding of the Bible among pastors and other church leaders and strengthen their commitment to Christian service.

He described the Bible as God’s message to humanity, saying its teachings remain relevant to the challenges confronting individuals and society.

‘The Bible remains God’s message to man. Irrespective of your colour, your race, your religion or your social status, the Bible is God’s message to man,’ Oladele added.

According to him, the scriptures guide how to deal with the challenges confronting humanity and should remain central to the lives of Christians.

He pleaded with the Christians to return to the teachings of the Bible and allow its principles to guide their decisions, relationships and conduct in society.

The cleric announced that the CAC has about 14,000 ordained apostles, with the 2026 conference attracting more than 9,000 participants and approaching 10,000 as more delegates arrived.

He described the turnout as significant, noting that some ordained apostles and church leaders could not attend because of various commitments.

‘We have 14,000 ordained apostles in Christ the Holy Church, and the attendance was over 9,000, almost 10,000. We still expect more. Some may not be here for one reason or another, but the turnout is not unusual,’ Oladele said.

The annual conference featured biblical teachings, prayers, and discussions on Christian leadership, evangelism, moral values and the role of the church in national development.

Rivers State Governorship Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, declared that non-indigenes resident in the state have a major stake in determining its political future in the 2027 governorship election.

Lulu-Briggs, who spoke after meeting with a group of non-indigenes in Rivers State, said the group resolved to support his bid to ‘reset Rivers State’ and birth what he described as a ‘new Rivers State.’

He said the residents, many of whom came to Rivers in search of economic opportunities, had endured setbacks attributed to poor leadership and were prepared to use the next election to influence the state’s direction.

According to him, the group’s concerns extended beyond politics to issues affecting their daily lives, including healthcare, education, security and the survival of their businesses.

He said, ‘When they spoke of their purpose, I saw in them pain, readiness, and urgency, a people prepared to rise up and reclaim all they have lost to bad leadership.

‘They believe the next four years are on the ballot: their health, their children’s education, their security, and whether their businesses thrive or suffer further losses.’

The NDC candidate said the group’s decision to support him was based on his leadership experience, independence and people-focused approach.

‘They resolved to support someone with compassion, who is people-focused, who has led himself and led organisations, who is independent and competent enough to lead without interference, and who takes instructions only from God, not man,’ he said.

Lulu-Briggs, however, rejected the description of the residents as ‘non-indigenes’, arguing that their contributions to the state made them part of the Rivers community.

‘I reminded them: we are all Rivers people. They live in Rivers State, do business, and contribute to its economy, peace, security, and growth. That makes them as indigenous as the work they do here, and not ‘non-indigenes,” he said.

He described the group’s position as evidence of what he called a growing political awakening in the state, saying the proposed political reset would require sustained mobilisation ahead of the 2027 election.

‘The truth is, the hour has come. The awakening keeps growing without pause, and this group’s endorsement confirms that resetting Rivers State and birthing a New Rivers State is possible,’ he said.

Lulu-Briggs also warned that those benefiting from the existing political order would resist attempts to change it.

‘But we must work for it with real seriousness. Those who have made themselves slave masters over us will fight to keep us enslaved; they will not let us go easily,’ he said.

He urged the group to take his message to other residents across the state, stressing that the outcome of the 2027 election would depend on voters’ choices.

‘The choice is ours to see this moment of freedom as a need, or dismiss it as a mere want,’ Lulu-Briggs said.

He urged the residents to continue spreading the message of his political movement ‘until victory over these slave masters who have taken God’s place in the lives of men is achieved, come 2027.’