Eric Opah Questions Economic Viability of Proposed Abia Seaport

Maritime and logistics professional Eric Opah has questioned the economic viability of the proposed deep seaport project in Abia State, arguing that the initiative lacks clear commercial justification, financing and long term sustainability.

In a detailed opinion article titled “Abia, Governor Otti and the Seaport Question: Ambition or Economic Miscalculation?”, Opah said that while major infrastructure projects often generate excitement, they should be subjected to rigorous economic analysis before implementation.

According to Opah, successful ports around the world emerged as responses to existing commercial demand rather than political ambition. He argued that ports facilitate trade generated by productive economies and do not, by themselves, create prosperity.

He cited examples including the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Singapore Port and Morocco’s Tanger Med Port, noting that each developed alongside strong industrial activity, integrated transport infrastructure and established trade networks.

Opah noted that Abia State has been in discussions with China Harbour Engineering Company, CHEC, since late 2025 over the proposed Azumini Obeaku Deep Seaport, with the project currently at the feasibility study stage.

According to the timeline outlined in his article, Governor Alex Otti first met with officials of CHEC in November 2025 to explore collaboration on dredging, rail and seaport development. In May 2026, the governor approved an immediate feasibility study for the proposed seaport and inland waterways corridor, while a technical team from CHEC commenced hydrographic surveys at the project site in June.

Opah observed that although technical assessments are ongoing, the state government has not publicly disclosed the cost of the feasibility study or a financing framework for the proposed project.

He further argued that the geographical characteristics of the proposed site present significant engineering challenges. According to him, the Azumini location is approximately 19 to 23 nautical miles from the open sea and would require about 19.5 kilometres of dredging to establish a navigable shipping channel.

Opah maintained that continuous dredging and maintenance of such a channel would represent one of the most expensive aspects of the project and could significantly increase both construction and long term operational costs.

He also questioned the commercial basis of the project, arguing that no detailed public explanation has been provided regarding projected cargo volumes, shipping demand or long term revenue generation necessary to sustain a deep seaport.

Rather than prioritising the seaport, Opah recommended increased investment in road infrastructure, healthcare, electricity supply, support for manufacturers in Aba and improved logistics connections to existing ports such as Onne and Calabar.

He also advocated for the full implementation of local government financial autonomy following the 2024 Supreme Court judgment directing that federal allocations be paid directly to elected local government councils.

According to Opah, strengthening local governments would deliver more immediate economic benefits across Abia’s 17 local government areas than embarking on what he described as a speculative and capital intensive seaport project.

The Abia State Government has consistently maintained that the proposed deep seaport forms part of its long term economic development strategy and that feasibility studies are necessary to determine the project’s technical and commercial viability before any construction begins.