Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said that the proposed Ondo Deep Seaport will function as a major hub for international trade that will serve the entire country as well as some countries in the West African sub-region.

Aiyedatiwa, who disclosed this yesterday, while receiving the revalidated licence for the port from the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, in Abuja, said that the depth would allow very large vessels, larger than those currently operating in Lagos ports, to berth with ease.

It would be recalled that the licence for the port, originally approved by the late President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, had been submitted to the Federal Government for revalidation following some errors in the document.

However, in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, Aiyedatiwa commended the Federal Government for fast-tracking the process.

According to him, the state was ready to get the project started, as it would serve as a hub for international trade.

He stressed that such infrastructure could not be restricted to state-level use, describing it as a gateway to international operations and businesses and indicating its capacity to support industry, commerce and the economy as a whole.

The governor explained that the deep seaport, designed to accommodate businesses across Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries, has a natural draught of about 18 metres.

Aiyedatiwa added that the size of the port would eliminate the need for trans-shipment, as vessels would be able to sail directly into Ondo State waters.

The governor said the project would have a positive impact on Nigeria’s economy, stressing that its benefits would not be limited to cargo movement alone, noting that once construction commences and the ground is broken, there would be increased movement of people into the state, including those involved in financial and humanitarian services, with attendant implications for state hospitality.