Afenifere hails Aiyedatiwa over Ondo Deep Sea Port licence revalidation

By Boye Oyeyemi –

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has commended Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for securing the revalidation of the operating licence for the Ondo Deep Sea Port, describing the development as a major economic milestone.

In a statement signed by its National Organising Secretary, Kole Omololu, the group said the achievement marked a significant step towards regional economic growth and further positioned Ondo State as an emerging maritime and industrial hub.

According to Afenifere, the revalidated licence has removed key regulatory and administrative bottlenecks, thereby providing the legal backing required for the full development of the port project.

The organisation explained that the port’s natural depth would enable it to accommodate large vessels that cannot berth at Lagos ports, a capacity expected to help decongest the nation’s busiest maritime corridor while reducing logistics costs.

Beyond easing port congestion, Afenifere noted that the project would stimulate economic activities across the South-West through industrial clustering, petrochemical expansion, agro-export processing and strengthened manufacturing value chains.

It added that the port would also function as a strategic gateway within the ECOWAS trade ecosystem, enhancing regional trade integration and reinforcing Nigeria’s role in global maritime commerce.

While praising the Aiyedatiwa administration for its foresight and consistency, the group urged sustained collaboration among all stakeholders, expressing confidence that the port would deliver long-term benefits for Ondo State, the South-West and the country at large.