Tinubu Gives Approval for Oil Drilling on Tongeji Island as Olokola Deep Seaport Finally Gets Green Light

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the commencement of commercial oil drilling activities at Tongeji Island, a long-neglected but resource-rich coastal community in Ogun State, in a move that could transform the state into a new oil-producing hub and significantly reshape Nigeria’s coastal economy. The approval was announced by the Ogun State Government through its official communication channels and has since generated widespread reactions across the country.

According to the announcement, the approval positions Ogun State firmly on the path of joining Nigeria’s oil-producing states, ending decades of speculation, advocacy, and unrealised potential surrounding Tongeji Island. The island, located in Ipokia Local Government Area and situated close to Badagry in Lagos State and the Republic of Benin, has long been known to host crude oil deposits. Residents have for years complained that oil seepage polluted their wells and farmlands, even as the community lacked basic amenities such as electricity, good roads, potable water, schools, and healthcare facilities.

In addition to the oil drilling approval, Governor Dapo Abiodun disclosed that President Tinubu has also given the green light for the immediate take-off of the long-awaited Olokola Deep Seaport in Ogun Waterside. The port project, to be known as the Blue Marine Economic Zone, is expected to become a major maritime and industrial hub that will decongest the overstretched ports in Lagos, create thousands of jobs, attract foreign and local investment, and unlock massive commercial and industrial opportunities for Ogun State and the wider South-West region.

Governor Abiodun described both projects as being of special interest to the President, noting that engagements were already ongoing with relevant federal agencies, investors, and stakeholders to fast-track implementation. He also commended the Nigerian Navy for upgrading its presence at Tongeji Island to a Forward Operations Base, a move aimed at strengthening border security, protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity, and safeguarding emerging economic activities in the area, particularly against cross-border criminal activities and smuggling from neighbouring Benin Republic.

For many observers, the approval represents a potential turning point for Tongeji Island, a community that has historically suffered neglect despite its strategic and economic importance. Reports over the years have highlighted the island’s isolation, lack of infrastructure, and vulnerability to smugglers, pipeline vandals, and foreign incursions. At different times, residents and political leaders raised alarms over the fear that the island could become “another Bakassi,” stressing the need for stronger federal presence and development to assert Nigeria’s sovereignty.

The Olokola Deep Seaport project also revives an initiative that dates back to the early 2000s, when Ogun and Ondo States proposed a joint free trade zone and deep-sea port under the Olokola Free Trade Zone (OKFTZ). That earlier vision stalled due to disputes and shifting investor interests, including the eventual relocation of Dangote’s refinery project to Lagos. The renewed approval suggests that Ogun State has now decided to independently leverage its coastline and strategic location to pursue the project.

While many Nigerians have welcomed the development as bold and visionary, others have expressed caution and concern. Critics warn that oil exploration, if poorly managed, could expose Tongeji Island to environmental degradation, insecurity, and the familiar “resource curse” experienced in other oil-producing communities. They argue that lessons from the Niger Delta should guide the process, with emphasis on environmental protection, community development, transparency, and local participation.

There are also broader national debates about regional balance, with some questioning why new seaports and oil projects appear concentrated in the South-West while existing ports in the South-South and South-East struggle with underinvestment. Supporters of the project, however, insist that developing Ogun’s coastline will complement rather than replace other ports and help diversify Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure.

Ultimately, the success of oil drilling at Tongeji Island and the Olokola Deep Seaport will depend on implementation. For residents of Tongeji, hope is cautiously rising that decades of isolation and neglect may finally give way to roads, schools, healthcare, electricity, clean water, and sustainable livelihoods. For Ogun State and Nigeria, the projects represent a test of whether natural resource development can finally translate into inclusive growth, security, and long-term economic transformation.