President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has announced that his conglomerate is expanding its footprint as a major player in the maritime logistics value chain with the development of large-scale deep seaport projects as a core investment priority across Africa.

Dangote stated this at the Mid-Year Session of the Board of Directors of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) in Lagos.

He said the port investment priority was driven by persistent inefficiencies in cargo handling and long vessel waiting times across key West and Central African trade routes.

The Nigerian industrialist said operators are increasingly facing serious logistical bottlenecks, including waiting periods of up to two weeks or more to discharge cargo in some port locations.

Dangote cited the inefficiencies he faced when discharging goods in parts of West and Central Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire, where vessels carrying his goods spent two weeks before discharging them at the port.

He argued that these infrastructure gaps, the growing congestion at African ports and the impact on industrial supply chains are constraining business operations and raising costs, while linking them to the shortage of port infrastructures in the region.

“We are running short of ports. What we need is to encourage entrepreneurs to invest heavily so trade can move faster and revenues can increase,” he said.

Dangote called for greater participation from the private sector and entrepreneurs willing to invest in port development, noting that his business empire is increasingly shifting from being a user of port facilities to a direct developer and operator of maritime infrastructure across Africa.

He also called for a fundamental shift in the financing and management of port infrastructure across Africa, insisting that the private sector and not governments should take the lead in building and operating ports to improve efficiency and boost regional trade.

The industrialist confirmed that the group is pushing ahead with plans to construct the Olokola Port, which he described as set to become the largest and deepest seaport in Africa once completed.

He stated that the project could commence this year, pending government approval, noting that the project forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen the group’s logistics capacity.

Beyond Nigeria, Dangote revealed that the group is extending its maritime footprint into East Africa, with plans for a major port development initiative in Tanzania following engagements with the President, Samia Suluhu Hassan.

He said discussions are ongoing, and the project is expected to move forward once regulatory approvals are secured to pave the way for execution.

Dangote also pointed to the Lekki Free Trade Zone development as a central pillar of the group’s port development expansion strategy beyond its traditional industrial operations, describing it as part of a broader ambition to create integrated logistics and industrial hubs capable of handling large-scale cargo throughput.