The Igbo Community Association (ICA), the leading socio-cultural body for the Igbo people in the Federal Capital Territory, has strongly called for the immediate establishment of a seaport in the South East, condemning the region’s exclusion from Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure as economic sabotage.
In a press statement issued on Monday, Engr. Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe, the ICA President General, urged the federal government to prioritise the construction of a seaport in the South East. He described the move as crucial for addressing the region’s long-standing economic marginalisation.
The ICA highlighted that the absence of a functional seaport has stifled business growth, inflated operational costs, and created significant hardship for millions of traders and entrepreneurs in the region. Nigeria currently has six officially recognised seaports under the Nigerian Ports Authority, but only two in Lagos are fully operational, which the ICA argues places an undue economic burden on the South East. This has forced businesses to contend with exploitative fees and logistical challenges along the Lagos-Onitsha trade corridor.
The association specifically called for the revival of two strategic seaport projects: the Obeaku Ndoki Port in Abia State and the Oseakwa Seaport in Anambra State. The Oseakwa Port, which was once a prominent maritime hub during the colonial era, holds the potential to revitalize regional commerce and ease congestion at the already strained Lagos ports.
The ICA emphasized that these projects would reduce transportation costs, stimulate industrialization, and promote economic development across the South East.
The association also praised Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu for his leadership in advancing the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and urged him to champion the seaport initiative as his next key achievement. The group called on all federal lawmakers from the South East to unite in demanding infrastructural equity for the region.
“The establishment of a seaport in the South East will not only benefit the region but also significantly enhance economic activities nationwide,” the statement read. “With the successful establishment of the SEDC, securing a seaport should be the next major milestone.
