FG Secures 90 hectares for Moniya Dry Port Project in Oyo
The Federal Government has received 90 hectares of land from the Oyo State government to build the Moniya Inland Dry Port in a bold move to expand the country’s maritime infrastructure and decongest seaports.
In a statement yesterday by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Anastasia Ogbonna, the Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oloruntola, said he received the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from Oyo State Deputy Governor Abdul-Raheem Lawal on behalf of the Federal Government.
The permanent secretary described the gesture as a demonstration of genuine partnership and shared commitment between both governments to strengthen regional trade and industrial growth.
He noted that the project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to position Nigeria as a maritime hub in Africa.
“The Moniya Inland Dry Port will serve as a strategic national asset, bringing shipping services closer to importers and exporters while stimulating industrial and agricultural growth across the Southwest,” Oloruntola said.
The permanent secretary, who represented the minister, Adegboyega Oyetola, hailed Oyo State for its “patriotic support” in advancing the Federal Government’s maritime reform goals.
He lauded the initiative as a milestone in intergovernmental cooperation for trade facilitation. The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Pius Akutah, who was represented by the Director of Inland Transport Services, Ahmadu Garta, applauded the Oyo State government’s collaboration on the project.
He emphasised that inland dry ports remain vital to modern commerce, serving as extensions of seaports and reducing logistics costs for businesses operating inland.
He urged the ministry and the NSC to adhere strictly to the implementation timelines of the project.
“We are committed to seeing this project through, but we also implore the Ministry and the Council to ensure this project is delivered in time for the maximum benefit of the people of Oyo State and its environs,” Lawal stated.
The statement said the event also featured the official handover of the Certificate of Occupancy and a joint inspection of the project site by officials of the FMM&BE, NSC, and the Oyo State government.
“Strategically located near the Obafemi Awolowo Train Station, the 90-hectare site benefits from existing freight and passenger rail connectivity linking Lagos ports (Apapa and Ebute Metta) to Moniya, Ibadan. This infrastructure advantage is expected to enhance cargo movement efficiency and ease pressure on Lagos ports.
“The development follows a similar gesture by the Ogun State government, which recently allocated 130 hectares of land to the Federal Government for the Ijebu-Ode Inland Dry Port, underscoring growing regional alignment in expanding the country’s dry port network,” the statement added.