Lekki Port begins construction of $1.5 billion facility

The Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise (LPLE), has commenced major construction works on the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos State.

The facility, estimated to gulp about $1.5billion and located within the Lagos Free Trade Zone (LFTZ), is expected to be one of the most modern ports, supporting the burgeoning trade across Nigeria and the entire West African region as well as providing the connection to global shipping network.

The General Manager, Projects, LPLE, Steven Heukelom, who disclosed this during an inspection by the Acting Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), noted that the breakwater construction is one of the largest components of the port construction.

Heukelom said upon completion, the Port would be one of the deepest in West Africa, with 16.5-meter water depth, and one of the most modern, efficient ports in sub-Saharan Africa with capacity to berth larger vessels thereby making Lagos the trans-shipment hub in West Africa.

“We are working tirelessly in conjunction with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), to deliver a port which will be a state-of-the-art, model deep sea port, not only in Nigeria but in sub-Saharan Africa” he said.

Commenting on the technical partners for the project, Heukelom explained that CHEC, the engineering and construction arm of China Construction and Communication Company (CCCC), is the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor for the Port (through China Harbour Engineering LFTZ Enterprise). Louis Berger Group, U.S.A., one of the largest multi-disciplinary infrastructure consulting firms in the world, is the Project Management Consultant (PMC) in charge of supervising the construction of the port.

“The responsibilities of CHEC include the overall design of Lekki Port, construction of the marine and landside infrastructure for the terminals and utilities, and dredging of access channel and port basin, while Louis Berger is responsible for contract management, design review and supervision of the construction work,’’ he said.

The Acting Director General, ICRC, Chidi Izuwah, said the visit to the Lekki Deep Sea Port project is in compliance with Section 20 of the ICRC Act 2005, which empowers the Commission to monitor compliance, and ensure efficient execution of all nationwide ‘PPP’ projects.

“We are here as part of the Commission’s 2017/2018 monitoring programme, to assess the level of progress made in implementing this project as well as compliance with terms and conditions of the contract agreement signed by all parties’’ he said.

Izuwah commended the management of Lekki Port for the progress recorded so far, and for choosing such qualified and credible technical partners to work with them on the project, while urging the company to ensure its timely completion.

The project is being promoted by Tolaram Group (Lead Sponsor), and the Nigerian Port Authority, with Lagos State Government as equity investors.