‘End Lagos Monopolisation’: Group Slams FG’s ‘Lip Service’ to Ibom Deep Seaport
UYO—The socio-cultural organization Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio (MMI) has accused the Federal Government of paying lip service to the development of the Ibom Deep Seaport, calling for an immediate shift from political rhetoric to concrete execution.
In a press statement issued on Monday, September 28, 2026, by its International Public Relations Officer, Akparawa (Pst.) Idongesit Ikono, the group expressed deep concern over what it described as an “unequal treatment” of maritime infrastructure distribution in Nigeria.
The MMI pointed out a stark contrast in the Federal Government’s commitment to regional port projects, highlighting the allocation of £746 million for the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports, alongside a reported $7 billion for the Gateway Deep Sea Port and Blue Marine Economic Zone in Ogun State.
While stating that it welcomes economic development across all regions of the country, the group criticized the federal authorities’ heavy concentration of maritime assets along the Lagos axis, describing the trend as economically unsustainable.
“You cannot build a national economy around one congested gateway,” the statement read. “The dangerous concentration of port activities in Lagos has choked our roads, crippled logistics, triggered endless demurrage, and imposed additional costs on Nigerian businesses and consumers.”
The MMI emphasized that the Ibom Deep Seaport is a strategic national asset rather than a political favour to Akwa Ibom State.
Due to its status as a natural deep-water gateway to the Gulf of Guinea, the group argued that the port holds the potential to serve as a major maritime hub for the South-South and South-East regions, effectively decongesting Lagos and unlocking broader economic growth.
Despite Akwa Ibom’s major contributions to the nation’s oil and gas revenues, the group lamented that the state still lacks corresponding strategic federal maritime infrastructure.
To address these imbalances, the MMI is demanding an immediate financial commitment and an explicit construction timeline from the Federal Government for the Ibom Deep Seaport.
It also wants accelerated completion of the East-West Road and the Calabar-Itu Highway, criticizing the Federal Government’s decision to downgrade the latter from a dual carriageway to a single carriageway.
It is further asking the Akwa Ibom State Government to provide a categorical clarification regarding the current status of the port project, specifically detailing the outcomes of the technical review trip to France with potential investors.
Warning against reducing the critical infrastructure into an election-season gimmick or political talking point, the group urged the government to adopt a balanced, national-interest-driven port policy.
“Enough promises. Show us commitment. Show us timelines. Start construction,” the statement concluded.
