The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and the members of the Benin River Port (BRP) Project Committee have reached an agreement with the Port of Antwerp in Belgium to partner and finalize the Benin River Ports project.
This information was gathered at a meeting of the Benin River Port (BRP) Project Committee with the governor and representatives from the Port of Antwerp.
While Mr. Greg Ogbeifun, the chairman of the BRP Project Committee, led his team, Mr. Phillippee Droesbeke, the manager of Ports Project at Port of Antwerp International, led the Port of Antwerp delegations to the meeting with the governor that will ultimately lead to the completion of the Benin River Ports project.
One of the legacy initiatives by the government of Governor Godwin Obaseki to promote industrial and economic growth in Edo is the Benin River Port. The port, upon completion, increase export revenues, create job opportunities, broaden the economic value chain, and offer new business opportunities to the state.
The partnership, according to Governor Obaseki, will transform the Benin Port into a cargo handling port and an industrial complex to support industrial output in Edo.
He stated, “We are glad to be partnering with the Port of Antwerp from Belgium to finalize the Benin River Port Project, a key project in our pursuit to drive industrialization and economic growth in Edo State.”
The governor added, “Under this arrangement, the Benin Port will transform into an industrial complex that would manage industrial production throughout several value chains in addition to a cargo handling port.
The project will take advantage of the area’s substantial gas reserves, which will help to support industrial production and the operation of the port and industrial complex.
Mr. Greg Ogbeifun stated that the state government has continued to make steady progress in its effort to construct the Benin River Port, ensuring that the project’s completion will be ensured by the new partnership with the Port of Antwerp.
According to him, “The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) is actively working on the project with the Edo State Government and the Port of Antwerp and would be the port’s regulators when it is completed.
Ogbeifun praised the governor for fostering an environment that was favourable to drawing investors into the state and pointed out that the port is well-positioned to profit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The African Continental Free Trade Area, he continued, “has further boosted the project.”
According to Droesbeke, the Port of Antwerp is excited to collaborate with the Edo State Government on the Benin River Ports project given the project’s significant economic benefits to Nigeria, Belgium, and Edo.