Better Days Ahead As Anambra Govt Partners with Belgium to Revitalize Onitsha River Port
Following years of infrastructural deficiencies that crippled the full utilization of Onitsha River Port, the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, CFR, is putting every modality in place to revitalize the port.
The Governor, ably represented by the Commissioner for Transport, Barr. Patricia Igwebuike, welcomed Ambassador Pieter Leenknegt, Embassy of Belgium in Nigeria, to Onitsha on Friday, 13th December 2024.
Built and opened in 1983 during President Shehu Shagari’s administration, the Onitsha River Port was designed to boost trade and transportation in southeastern Nigeria, facilitate cargo movement, and encourage economic activity in the region and its environs.
Recall that the concession process for the Onitsha River Port was initiated under a Rehabilitate-Operate-Transfer (ROT) model and supervised by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). This initiative culminated in a 30-year concession agreement awarded to the Universal Elysium Consortium and approved by the Federal Executive Council during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in 2022.
The meeting with Ambassador Pieter Leenknegt aligns with the ongoing efforts of the Anambra State Government to revitalize the port, which spans over 18 hectares of land. These efforts include re-equipping the port to handle general cargo, containers, bulk cargo, and other types of packaged freight.
The port will also boast a 324-meter-long wharf with provisions for further expansion, a 180-meter quay length, warehouses, storage workshops, and ample parking space to facilitate operations. Located 18 nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the port is strategically positioned on the east bank of the Niger River.
The collaborative efforts to unlock the port’s full potential aim to address challenges such as dredging, regulatory bottlenecks, and dilapidated infrastructure.
It was further disclosed that the establishment of a Free Trade Zone within the port is underway, with registration nearing completion and construction scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2025.
Several dignitaries, including the Director of NIWA, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji (ably represented by the Port Manager, Martins Osazuwa), and prominent business moguls, graced the event, underscoring the importance of the Onitsha River Port’s revitalization as a catalyst for economic transformation in the region.
