ESIC Overview

The development of Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex (ESIC) project commenced in 2019 and aims to develop 31,000 hectares of Delta State land into a Deep Seaport, Crude oil refinery, Gas Complex, Independent Power Plant (IPP), Airport, Nature Park, etc. It is a development that promises to massively open up Delta State and seven other States including FCT – Abuja to international investment in trade, commerce and industry. ESIC will transform Delta State economy and those of ESIC beneficiary States from a rural-driven economy with sprinklings of Urban development to a metropolis driven economy of international dimension.

ESIC project is a Non – Solicited Public – Private Partnership (PPP) driven project regulated by Infrastucture Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Laws of Federal Government of Nigeria. it is model after the Lekki Deep Seaport/Free Trade Zone (FTZ) to serve the marine/economic interest of the Niger Delta, Eastern and some Northern States  of the Country specifically to solve the perennial port congestion problems in Nigeria.

ESIC project is complimentary to the on – going Lagos – Calabar coastal road in the country.

EDIB International of Hong Kong has express willingness to invest USD $27.29BN to develop ESIC project whose deep seaport will be located in Escravos (Gbaramatu Island/Omadino) Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State; a development to be effected through Joint Venture Partnership (JVP) with a Nigerian firm Mercury Maritime Concession Company Limited (MMCC). In its first commitment letter dated 19/01/2024 communicated to MMCC through Chief Kwame Springer the Chairman of EDIB International Ltd the financing company and their consultancy  Blue Dot Wealth Limited. The outlined EDIB International group’s risk assessment and requirements for successful funding to be granted demand the securing and protection of their investment by a guarantee of the Federal Government to CONTROL the proliferation of Free Trade Zone in the country.

The protection sought is a fifty (50) year renewable concession lease (which must be extended to 99 years for all other infrastructure and land) to Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) of ESIC deep seaport – Free Trade Zone project; which the Federal Government (FG) provisional approval granted to MMCC in November 2020.

It is instructive to note that by virtue of this deal, the ESIC ownership of deep seaport will revert to FG at the expiration of the renewable fifty (50) years concession.

And secondly, it is also consequent upon the May 2022 Delta State Government (DTSG) expression of willingness (Provisional Approval) to lease a 31,000 hectares of Land located at Escravos & Omadino to MMCC to host the entire ESIC project.

The uniqueness of ESIC/ESIC deep seaport/Free Trade Zone (FTZ) development is that it incorporate the development of road, rail and marine connectivity approach to the hinterland destinations in order to optimize cargo flow through to ESIC/ESIC deep seaport i.e.

 ROAD: ESIC seaport – Warri Sapele Expressway to linking at a point near Koko junction – (45 kilometers).

RAIL:   ESIC seaport to Warri – (45 kilometers) to join the existing Warri – Ajaokuta – Itakpe rail line. Itakpe – Abuja (New 90 kilometers rail construct) terminating at the construction/development of Abuja Dry Port in a new district to be known as Abuja Port District.

 MARINE:   ESIC seaport through marine connectivity will connect to River Niger and hence to the  Inland port of Baro in Niger State (600 kilometers). River Niger Canal from ESIC Seaport to Baro will be dredge to 10 meters depth through a partnership entered into between MMCC and Suez Canal Authority of Egypt. 

–  Construction of (6) six in numbers Inland/Dry Port at: Bayelsa State (Nun River),  Imo State (Oguta lake), Delta State (Okegbele), Ebu – Inyele Edo/Delta State (Idah), Kogi State and Dry Port (FCT – Abuja).

ESIC project will inspite of the absence of its own inland port in Anambra and Niger – State, guarantee to service the marine interest of Onitsha, Baro and Lokoja Inland ports from ESIC/ESIC deep seaport.

The (8) eight ESIC project beneficiary States are: Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Imo, Anambra, Kogi, Niger & FCT Abuja will be granted share – holding Status in the equity of ESIC project.

The first phase of ESIC project will be ready for use in 2027 while the entire project will be in operational by 2029.