Burutu Port: Delta Eyes Blue Economy Boost as EU Backs Lagos-Burutu-Ajaokuta Waterway Project

The proposed project, which includes the rehabilitation and development of Burutu Port, featured prominently when a delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, led by Mr. Massimo De Luca, met with Delta State Government officials on Thursday.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, said the state was ready to work with the EU and other development partners to unlock its maritime potential and make the blue economy a bigger part of Delta’s economic future.

At the centre of the discussions was the proposed Sea-Link corridor, which is expected to run from Lagos through the coastal route to Burutu and connect with Onitsha and Ajaokuta through the River Niger.

Oborevwori said the development of Burutu Port and the state’s waterways presented a major opportunity for Delta, given its extensive network of rivers and coastal channels.

He said his administration had consistently identified maritime development and the blue economy as areas with the capacity to generate sustainable economic activity, adding that the growing interest from international development partners offered fresh prospects for projects that had remained on the drawing board for years.

De Luca said the Sea-Link Project was designed to provide an alternative transportation route for moving goods and people, potentially taking some pressure off Nigeria’s increasingly congested roads.

He said the corridor could also stimulate new businesses and economic activity in communities along the route.

A major component of the plan is the rehabilitation and expansion of Burutu Port, which De Luca described as strategically positioned for both inland waterway transportation and international maritime trade.

He said the long-term ambition was for Burutu to develop beyond its role as a link in the waterway corridor and potentially become an international seaport capable of handling ocean-going vessels.

Discussions on financing are already underway, with a consortium of partners expected to be involved. Proposed investments will include port infrastructure and barges, alongside the rehabilitation and expansion of facilities at Burutu.

If realised, the project could open a new maritime gateway into Delta State and the wider Niger Delta, while creating opportunities in transportation, logistics, trade and related industries.

The EU delegation also discussed support for people living with disabilities. Oborevwori welcomed further collaboration aimed at expanding opportunities for persons with disabilities and improving their capacity to live more independently and productively.

For Delta, the proposed Sea-Link and Burutu Port development could represent more than a transportation project. It could provide a platform for the state to turn its waterways into an economic asset, attract investment and create jobs while connecting the Niger Delta more directly to Nigeria’s wider inland and coastal trade network.