The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has stated that the South-South region occupies a central place in Nigeria’s quest to unlock the full potential of its marine and blue economy.

Oyetola made this declaration yesterday while receiving a delegation from the South South Development Commission (SSDC), led by its Managing Director, Ms Usoro Akpabio.

The minister described the region as an important component of Nigeria’s maritime future, given its long coastline, strategic seaports, and vast aquatic resources.

Oyetola noted that the Federal Government was committed to driving maritime infrastructural development in the South-South, to ensure that the region played its rightful role in the nation’s economic growth.

He pointed out that existing seaports in the region— Warri Port in Delta State, Rivers Port and Onne Port in Rivers State, and Calabar Port in Cross River State— would soon enjoy modernisation and upgrade under the Federal Government’s port modernisation programme.

According to him, the government plans to dredge the ports to a minimum draft of 16 metres, a move that would enable them to accommodate larger vessels and increase their competitiveness in the Gulf of Guinea.

He explained that dredging the ports deeper would attract larger ships, lower cargo handling costs, and boost trade volumes, adding that bigger vessels would help reduce the cost of doing business while generating more revenue for the country.