Determined to meet its 2022 delivery timeline, the promoters of the proposed $1.55 billion Lekki Port project said works on the project site has reached 40 percent completion of construction timeline as at the end of December 2020.
Du Ruogang, chief executive officer of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, who gave an update on the project during an interview with Businessday, said that despite the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), the EPC Contractor, has been able to move efficiently such that the main breakwater has reached 1,500m out to sea.
Lekki is a multi-purpose, Deep Seaport located at the heart of the Lagos Free Trade Zone, and it will be one of the most modern ports in West Africa, offering enormous support to the rapidly increasing commercial operation across Nigeria and the entire West African region.
According to him, the eastern breakwater core dumping is ongoing while production of tubular steel piles are also ongoing in the pile fabrication yard and piles have been driven for the quay wall with steel sheet pile infill.
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“In addition, dredging is ongoing with approximately 6.5M m3 dredged to date. Approximately, 45 percent of ground dynamic compaction and site clearance has been achieved and the foundations for landside buildings have commenced. In total, as at end of December 2020, we have reached 40 percent completion of the construction timeline and we are sure to see even more progress in the first quarter of 2021,” he said.
While expressing pleasure at the speed of the construction despite the challenges being encountered all over the world with the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, he said the EPC contractor has been ensuring that strictest care is taken to avoid any risk of infection at the project site.
“We are fully committed to ensuring the project is completed by the end of 2022. We are working in conjunction with the EPC Contractor to meet this deadline, and also doing our best to anticipate any unforeseen circumstances that can derail this goal, so we can eliminate them and stay focused. We are very committed to honouring our pledge to the Honourable Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi for a 2022 completion date. This was in November 2020 when he visited the port site,” Ruogang further explained.
Upon completion, Lekki Port will have a total of three container berths, one dry bulk berth and three liquid berths.
In addition to bridging the capacity deficit, Lekki Deep Seaport will have significant positive impact estimated at USD$361 billion over the term of concession. It is also expected to contribute more than USD$200 billion to the government exchequer and create close to 170,000 new jobs
nce operational, Lekki Port will be the deepest port in Nigeria with a draft of 16.5 meters’ alongside quay to accommodate 18,000 TEUS container vessels.
Furthermore, Lekki Port will spur the economic development around the Lekki sub-region and the wider Lagos State through rapid industrialisation.
