₦airaland Forum

aylipple:
Tbh, I tried my best to listen/watch this video with a balanced perspective and after enduring the ignorant & even sinister takes about Lagos by VDM for 5 minutes, I just had to stop there for my sanity.

First of all, whatever “privileges” or opportunities that abound in Lagos aren’t because a former governor of the State & a Yoruba man is President today; those perceived privileges far predate his tenure as Nigeria’s President. As obvious as this is, I just had to restate it because there are too many ignorant & too proud to learn/or read people on the internet today.

Secondly, blaming Lagos for the perceived privileges the state enjoys is probably the most flimsiest excuse for daft, incompetent and visionless governors that have governed other states in the country at least, since 1999. Lagos has in the last decade provided a conducive atmosphere and the resources for private investors to invest in the state via the Lekki Deep Sea Port. The Badagry Deep Sea Port is already being set in motion (also to be financed majorly by private sector). What have the Governors of Akwa Ibom (the Ibom Deep Sea Port is still a mirage), Delta, Rivers, Ondo & Cross River done to attract investors to develop Sea Ports in their states? Just recently, we heard Alh. Aliko Dangote announce that he’ll soon break ground for the largest Sea Port in Nigeria in Ogun State; that’s what visionary leadership does.

Thirdly, the last time I checked, the Calabar (Cross River) & Onne (Rivers State) Ports are functional especially the latter which has consistently berthed some of the largest vessels ever in Nigerian ports https://www.thecable.ng/onne-port-berths-largest-cargo-vessel-second-time-in-3-months/ (this was 2024. There are more of such vessels berthing there as far back 2020) and this next report is as recent as April 2025 https://businessday.ng/maritime/article/onne-port-receives-largest-container-ship/ if importers choose to receive their imports through Lagos (when the Eastern Sea Ports esp Onne is active and receiving cargoes), how’s this Lagos’ fault especially as the same people keep complaining about how chaotic Lagos Ports (Apapa and Tin Can especially) can be? What has stopped successive governors of Akwa Ibom State especially from going ahead with making the Ibom Deep Sea Port a reality considering its very huge economic potentials?

Fourthly, saying Nigeria needs at least 18 international airports is the height of ignorance and yet, Lagos is to be blame. Pray tell, aside from Lagos and Abuja (and probably Kano and Port Harcourt international airports), which other airports are economically viable? Do they’ve the commerce, population, conducive environment or even economy to support international flights? For someone who has traveled within and outside the country by air, I’m actually surprised VDM could make such an ignorantly bold assertion. Even the states that have airports for domestic flights, how viable have they been? Remember how the only airline at the time (Air Peace) was flying to Kaduna consistently but had to stop after Bandits almost succeeded in hijacking or attacking one of their aircrafts? If states don’t tackle the issues of insecurity head on and citizens of such states actively and tacitly support those threatening security, how’s that Lagos’ fault? Or you think international airlines don’t receive security briefings about active flash points of violence? The decision to fly from any particular airport anywhere in the world is solely the responsibility of the airline and I don’t see how or why Lagos has to be the scape goat as if they put a gun to the heads of the owners of the international carriers to fly into and out of Lagos or risk getting shot dead!

This video by VDM smells like an agenda (like something sinister is brewing underneath) and Lagos is the target. Aside listening to what he said in the video, I also listened for what he wasn’t saying - if he had made this video when PMB (God Rest his soul) was President, it would’ve been somewhat “ok” but doing this at a time when some northern political elite especially are crying over the perceived imbalance of project sites in favour of Lagos is bad timing. He also had to use the same video (where he blamed Lagos as holding back Nigeria) to encourage the call for Biafra? Lagos and Biafra in the same sentence? Nah, I can smell an agenda from a mile away and VDM is being used (knowingly or unknowingly) to push that agenda.

EngineerOloye:
Thanks o... Cause when I mentioned I had made choices in the past to import through Onne, it was as if I was lying to some.

EngineerOloye:
In general, we as a people have a long way to go! We never own our problems but aggregate them to an oppressive President somewhere in Abuja! The one presidenting your state and immediate environment, you no look am! The LGC affecting your day to day reality, you ignore am... Follow everyone dey shout President A, or B or C. Yes Presidents matter, but what about those presiding over your immediate reality in your state, state assembly and LGAs?
Elections coming, the only person you are planning to vote in or vote out is the president, but look at the bunch of ¢*+-! * we have as Senators, House of Reps, and even house of assembly speakers, and so on! If you want to pluck a fruit that's out of reach, is it not wisdom to start pulling the lower branches it is connected too wey your hand fit touch?

Let's influence the lower politics to get credible folks in and someday we will have big names who also have big hearts for the people at the topmost top!

Election's are coming... Do what you will with this info

bdon123:
Oga accept this is very true.Nigeria has port issues bt refused to build another in other regions.lagos gets special treatment all d time

Oakenshield:
shut up ,why are other ports not working?
Calabar port that 70% of cars imported into the countryside and other goods were through the port and was working very well. Thereby spreading development to Akwa Ibom and Lagos port was a par with it. The same Tinubu colluded with OBJ and said the needed dredging and Uzondinma was awarded the project yet nothing happened till date. Lagos became the sole active port in the country,so why wouldn't the develop better than other regions.
The claim big ships can't come to calabar port yet is it canoe that supplies tankers of fuel,diesel, kerosene and bitumen to depot's at calabar.
Crossriver is closer to the North than Lagos is and let the port be allowed to work and see if development wouldn't reach places like bebue state

oyatz:
There are functional ports in Onne,Rivers State and Calabar (though less patrinized). Dangote is building $800 million Seaport in Ogun State.

Since over 12yrs ago, Akwa-Ibom State Government has been allocating funds in yeary budgets for Ibaka Deep seaport, but these are often embezzled.

chido20:
He is saying the truth. FG controls the seaport and airport if they want it working well in other states, they should know what to do

aylipple:
Tbh, I tried my best to listen/watch this video with a balanced perspective and after enduring the ignorant & even sinister takes about Lagos by VDM for 5 minutes, I just had to stop there for my sanity.

First of all, whatever “privileges” or opportunities that abound in Lagos aren’t because a former governor of the State & a Yoruba man is President today; those perceived privileges far predate his tenure as Nigeria’s President. As obvious as this is, I just had to restate it because there are too many ignorant & too proud to learn/or read people on the internet today.

Secondly, blaming Lagos for the perceived privileges the state enjoys is probably the most flimsiest excuse for daft, incompetent and visionless governors that have governed other states in the country at least, since 1999. Lagos has in the last decade provided a conducive atmosphere and the resources for private investors to invest in the state via the Lekki Deep Sea Port. The Badagry Deep Sea Port is already being set in motion (also to be financed majorly by private sector). What have the Governors of Akwa Ibom (the Ibom Deep Sea Port is still a mirage), Delta, Rivers, Ondo & Cross River done to attract investors to develop Sea Ports in their states? Just recently, we heard Alh. Aliko Dangote announce that he’ll soon break ground for the largest Sea Port in Nigeria in Ogun State; that’s what visionary leadership does.

Thirdly, the last time I checked, the Calabar (Cross River) & Onne (Rivers State) Ports are functional especially the latter which has consistently berthed some of the largest vessels ever in Nigerian ports
https://www.thecable.ng/onne-port-berths-largest-cargo-vessel-second-time-in-3-months/ (this was 2024. There are more of such vessels berthing there as far back 2020) and this next report is as recent as April 2025
https://businessday.ng/maritime/article/onne-port-receives-largest-container-ship/

If importers choose to receive their imports through Lagos (when the Eastern Sea Ports esp Onne is active and receiving cargoes), how’s this Lagos’ fault especially as the same people keep complaining about how chaotic Lagos Ports (Apapa and Tin Can especially) can be? What has stopped successive governors of Akwa Ibom State especially from going ahead with making the Ibom Deep Sea Port a reality considering its very huge economic potentials?

Fourthly, saying Nigeria needs at least 18 international airports is the height of ignorance and yet, Lagos is to be blame. Pray tell, aside from Lagos and Abuja (and probably Kano and Port Harcourt international airports), which other airports are economically viable? Do they’ve the commerce, population, conducive environment or even economy to support international flights? For someone who has traveled within and outside the country by air, I’m actually surprised VDM could make such an ignorantly bold assertion. Even the states that have airports for domestic flights, how viable have they been? Remember how the only airline at the time (Air Peace) was flying to Kaduna consistently but had to stop after Bandits almost succeeded in hijacking or attacking one of their aircrafts? If states don’t tackle the issues of insecurity head on and citizens of such states actively and tacitly support those threatening security, how’s that Lagos’ fault? Or you think international airlines don’t receive security briefings about active flash points of violence? The decision to fly from any particular airport anywhere in the world is solely the responsibility of the airline and I don’t see how or why Lagos has to be the scape goat as if they put a gun to the heads of the owners of the international carriers to fly into and out of Lagos or risk getting shot dead!

This video by VDM smells like an agenda (like something sinister is brewing underneath) and Lagos is the target. Aside listening to what he said in the video, I also listened for what he wasn’t saying - if he had made this video when PMB (God Rest his soul) was President, it would’ve been somewhat “ok” but doing this at a time when some northern political elite especially are crying over the perceived imbalance of project sites in favour of Lagos is bad timing. He also had to use the same video (where he blamed Lagos as holding back Nigeria) to encourage the call for Biafra? Lagos and Biafra in the same sentence? Nah, I can smell an agenda from a mile away and VDM is being used (knowingly or unknowingly) to push that agenda.

ricson11:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYZlxMtHaHI?si=ciHJ1tWKrVXuSpuy

Social commentator Verydarkman criticized the concentration of opportunities and development in Lagos, arguing that it is stifling growth in other parts of Nigeria.

He questioned why nearly everything must be centered in Lagos while the rest of the country struggles

Konquest:
You wrote a succinct and brilliant piece up there.

I had nearly the same reactions you had towards the highly IRRESPONSIBLE, less than 7-minutes video that boy named VDM did when I FIRST saw it in my YouTube timeline a few days ago. I DON'T visit his YouTube channel BUT got curious when I saw a recent video of him in Ghana which was laced with heavy disinformation after the Ghanaian authorities rightly implemented the already existing GIPC laws which prohibit ANY foreigner from engaging in wholesale and retail trading at the same time. Retailing is largely exclusive for Ghanaians BUT some in Ghana with origins from the South East of Nigeria and more violated the investment laws of Ghana which have existed since the military era of Busia to engage in wholesale and retailing hence undermining Ghanains economically.

Edo folks of which I have relatives and associates are largely knowledgeable and fight injustice, BUT it's VERY clear that this VDM is NOT a highly educated person. He annoyingly kept on referring WRONGLY to the existing River Ports as "Sea Ports." For those who don't know, and I see many uninformed NL posters here, ANY port which is built along shallow rivers in Nigeria such as the "river Onne," "river Calabar" or "river Niger" is a River Port (Onne Port, Calabar Port, and Onitsha Port are River Ports NOT Sea Ports) while ANY port that is built along any Ocean or Sea such as the Atlantic Ocean is a Sea Port! The Lekki Deep Sea Port qualifies as a true Sea Port. I once read that this VDM was into po*rn movies in the past and this is the same guy some largely misinformed young people are listening to and clapping for? His agenda also shows he's patronizing the Ibos to generate online traffic to his channel BECAUSE a lot of those supporting him and his disinformation blindly on his YouTube channel and this same thread are from the South East of Nigeria.

I had to post a strong constructive message for him and his LARGELY ignorant followers in the comments section of that his channel stating CLEARLY why Lagos State isn't the cause of Nigeria's problems as IRRESPONSIBLY stated by him. INFACT Lagos State has for many decades taken the blows on behalf of Nigeria for the relentless surge of economic migrants from other parts of Nigeria and West Africa with the overstretched infrastructure in Lagos State due to bad governance in those States. Same for Rivers State, Kano State, and the FCT where economic migrants without enough skills flood to from other less-privileged States.

Second, all the existing river ports in Nigeria require expensive annual dredging of the shallow waters which prevents big Ocean-going ships from coming to Calabar, Warri, and other river ports BUT fortunately, the Onne River Port in Rivers State is functioning optimally like you stated. Many maritime experts have stated over the years the major reasons why the "Eastern Ports" have NOT been profitable due to the shallow waters of the rivers which require constant unprofitable DREDGING, to the FACT that big ships find it unprofitable coming to the Eastern Ports since there is an absence of reliable major industries that deal with EXPORTS, hence, the shipping companies want to be able to bring containers of imported goods in and take containers of export goods out of those ports. The brilliant Edo State indigene, Mr. Lucky Amiwere, who is a licensed customs agent and maritime expert stated in one of his newspaper interviews nearly 10 years ago that the Calabar River Port should NEVER have been built by the wasteful Military Government in the late 1970s as part of the Eastern Ports and that it was a "political port." Amiwere further said Calabar River Port can be turned into a fishing port to maximize annual returns. He is indeed very correct BECAUSE the Calabar Port is located in shallow waters that require constant annual dredging which is NOT profitable.

So, from here on out, just like Lagos State has already done through the brilliance and foresight of the current Nigerian President 'Bola Tinubu, who (with Singaporean investors and partners, and the FG) facilitated from the early 2000s the construction of the Lekki Deep Sea Port for a percentage share of the iconic project, the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Ibeju-Lekki, and the Dangote Petrochemical Refinery, among other iconic projects under the Lagos State Master Plan, other States located close to the Atlantic Ocean should partner with Nigerian and foreign investors to construct there own Sea Ports in Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross Rivers States.

These are the specifics that the semi-literate called VDM doesn't know about and with some research would have prevented him from looking like a semi-literate. He keeps dabbling into what he knows NOTHING about, such as his recent unsolicited trip to Ghana which has further angered a lot of Ghanaians online and offline [who called for his immediate expulsion from Ghana] with the massive disinformation contained in his crappy videos, to this random, disinformation on Lagos State "monopoly." This youth (VDM) is CLEARLY NOT someone any person who wants genuine economic-based Information should be listening to. He should stick to soft-sell news and gossips for people of his social class instead. "VDM or whatever he calls himself clearly CANNOT give what he doesn't have. Period."

There's another YouTuber from Cameroon who I hear is based in Nigeria named "Ajim" who the Nigerian intelligence agencies MUST keep an eye on because he makes videos knocking the heads of Nigerians with Ghanains and SA cutizens while claiming to be supporting Nigeria. NOBODY asked this Cameroonian who says he's planning to become a Nigerian citizen to do that on behalf of Nigerians. A popular Nigerian female YouTuber ORIGINALLY from Cross Rivers (named Lily Ogini) based in Ghana recently EXPOSED this same "Ajim" Cameroonian guy in her recent video with concrete evidence showing he is being sponsored by a female and people with secessionist and anti-Ghana and anti-SA ideologies.

aylipple:
Thank you for further insights into this topic. Ironically, I also made reference to Onne as a Sea Port instead of a River Port; I've taken note of the appropriate term.

You're right about Calabar River Port - it's largely comatose as a result of lack of dredging as well as legal bottlenecks impeding investments.

I also have to add after reading your detailed and well-informed response that instead of carpeting Lagos all the time, people like VDM (never seen a young Nigerian so passionate yet highly ignorant & basking in their ignorance) should instead be praising the state for shouldering the responsibilities of the other irresponsible state governments.

Truth is, if a minimum two states in each geo-political zone got their acts together, the pressure on Lagos would reduce drastically.

bdon123:
U nt understanding,states do not build seaport...its a federal project.Dangote port is for dangote refinery only or cement business.We are talking abt deep sea ports n infrastructure to handle d class of cargo Lagos ports handle.D ships that berth at tincan island cannot berth at ibaka.There needs to be facility to handle to class of ships .
I will use airline industry to giv u an example...airbus 380 planes which are most owned by emirates airlines do not land in nigeria becos our runway cannot handle that particular class of plane.instead they use older substandard planes to convey passenger to Nigeria bt abroad they use airbus 380 for long haul flights.so who do u blame now for that?ofcourse nigerian government who hav refused to improve along wit d rest of d world

oyatz:
You are still living in the past (most probably born and grew up under the Military Rule, where FG was in-charge of virtually every aspect of Nigeria's economy).

Seaports, Airports, Railways and Electricity have been taken off from the exclusive list in the constitution and taken to concurrent list (meaning both FG and States can legislate on these items).

Lagos State ,through PPP built Lekki Deep Sea Port (more sophisticated than the old ports at Apapa and Tin Can) and currently building Badagry Deep-Sea Port.

Dangote is building Dangote Port for COMMERCIAL purposes in Ogun State.

Ibaka DEEP Seaport ,would have been completed if A/Ibom State Government is not doing it as a typical Government Project but do it via Public-Private Partnership, in conjunction with Chinese or Indian Business Corporations.

The roles of the FG is now more of a regulator rather than active players in these industries.

2mch:
There is an international airport in the East, use it. Also, pressure the airlines to fly to the East. They probably refuse to because they don’t want to start being drug couriers unintentionally. Clean up your State and everybody will rush you. It’s just the truth. It’s no secret that Lagos is a major airport and the officials there make extra effort to catch drug couriers. That’s because we don’t have a high concentration of Yoruba’s trading drugs. It will be much harder in the East where local people will be afraid to catch these guys for fear of their whole family house being wiped out.

professorPABX:
I didn't read your post but just observed you talk about Seaport like majority of people on this topic do out of ignorance, bitterness and for propaganda.

Country cannot force Ships to deliver cargoes to ports that are not on their routes. Maersk is at Onne Port. Ships move cargoes to and from Onne Port. Some people asked questions why DANGOTE use Lome Port during Refinery project when Lagos doesn't have the capacity to receive the 150,000 containers, they said why not Warri others mentioned Portharcourt (Abonema or Onne).

I don't want to delve into technicalities. Intel Logistics and other private investors are driving Badagry Deep Seaport. Tolaram group and others private investors created Lekki Deep Seaport. DANGOTE has announced his intention to establish a deep seaport in Ogun State. AkwaIbom governor should let us know the Private investors that are driving the IBOM Deep Seaport. Before 2023 election battle, ATIKU was always talking about the progress being made at Badagry Seaport because of Intel Logistics. Politics came and nothing heard again. We need to know those investors driving IBOM Deep Seaport.

Calabar is very close to ECCAS - Economic Community of Central Africa States countries.
ECOWAS with Lagos as the economic hub is close to Cotonou ports, Lome Port, Tema and Takoradi ports in Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire port, Senegal port.

PulaPower:
The growth started in Egba land, before anything Lagos! Ogun state been having industries even before Lagos came into existence..

What many of you don’t understand is that most part of Lagos state nah Egba land! Awori were the first settler in Eko and their progenitor, the first settler, Ogunmenufun or something was from Ile-Ife! .... This is another story that I’ll write about later on..

What Lagos is today, it was Egba land that was like that back in the days! Egba land used to be westerners trade center back in the days - it’s the major reason why majority of industries in Nigeria today are located in Ogun state. It has always been like that before anything nigeria! ... And if you check, most Yoruba billionaires are from Ogun state, even till date.

Lagos state has been appealing to Ogun Government to concede Mowe/Ibafo to them but Ogun state is yet to grant it! What’s my point exactly?:

My point is that it was Lagos that benefited & inherited from Ogun, not the other way round!

2mch:
You have perpetual victim complex and are a commpppulsive storyteller. Is this not the airport? You want everything Lagos has now, but don’t want to work for it or demand airlines use the airport. A foreigner reading your post will think it’s wheelbarrow they use from Enugu Airport to Lagos.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nrq5KqinjQ?si=clixdNvH0L9UioNq

Nteogwuija:
He might not be entirely wrong. Using the ports for example. Someone once said he tried clearing his goods at the Onne port, something that'd take less than a week to clear at the Lagos port, it took over three weeks with intense begging for it to be cleared at the Onne port.

The person said it was just an unnecessary series of bottle necks with nonchalant people.

Now, with such experience people would tend to want to clear their goods at Lagos over Port Harcourt.

Whether this is delibrate (to make Lagos' port more attractive) or not is what I can't say.

Also, the militancy contributed to most oil companies moving their HQs to Lagos. Problem is that since the end of militancy, the governors have done nothing to attract these HQs back to the region.

Seriously, I believe the SS governors are the laziest set of governors.

Lovenorth:
Why are you afraid of decentralizing our ports you leech? Lagos is only an opportunistic state, very lazy with entitlement mentality. Either you like it or not, one day our Northern president or South South president will change the status quo and allow for fair opportunity

Eshiet64:
I support VDM on this, the politics played by especially the president is to ensure other ports are not working effectively in order for the country to be dependent on Lagos port alone.

Basic123:
HOW WILL THEY CHANGE THE STATUS QUO?...do you know that we have had several Northern president and SOUTH SOUTH president?

legitnow1:
I DONT KNOW Y SOME YORUBA MEN ARE AFRAID.


Y THE FEAR OVER MATTERS?


AFTER MUCH NOIISE, A SIMPLE TAKE YOUR LAGOS AND GO IS NOW GENERATING DEBATE AND QUESTION TIME?



A STRAIGHTFORWARD EITHER LAGOS GO OR WE GO IS AN ULTIMATUM NOT A DEBATE.

Arabk25:
Oga what do you have to say about FEDERAL GOVERNMENT controlling seaport and aviation industry? How will a government limit the importation of goods to Lagos only what explanations do you have for that let's start with that first

Afonja007:
you know people from south west hates truth,if bill gate is an igbo man and he decided to build air port as big as dubai airport in the SE federal goverment of nigeria will not give him license for international flights,federal government of nigeria will never allow warri wharf of porthacourt wharf to work fully ,i pray one northern politician might change it one day

SonOfDSoil01:
I always thought this vdm was someone sensible and intelligent, but he just proved me wrong. This is nothing but a display of ignorance…..I can already see our jealous and covetous neighbours masturbating on the thread. Any news about Lagos Yoruba always make them green with envy yet they won’t let Lagos breathe

Lagos as been far a developed place even before the amalgamation of Nigeria, which were mainly developed by the colonial masters. Lagos was a trade centre and the colonial masters found it geologically suitable and made it their colony. All the development in Lagos took place even before the discovery of oil.

Nigeria slow down the progress of Lagos and by extension western region, which was and still is the most developed and most economically viable part of the country all thanks to free education introduced by the late sage Awolowo.

We never asked for the FCT to be cited in Lagos, and 33yrs after the relocation of the FCT from Lagos, it as made far more progress and the migration from other part of the country increased. Why didn’t they all rush to Abuja since the lay claim to it being the bases for the development of Lagos

When they can’t match your progress, they come up with this weak line so as to defend their failure to measure up. Lagos won’t slow down in it developmental drive because of the failure of other state governors to develop their state and attract investment. No one was force to come and invest in Lagos and you cant tell an investor where to invest his money.

When they create a hostile environment for investor and to even acquire common land is a huge challenge, coupled with insecurity and secessionist tendencies and you expect a sensible investor to come and invest in that hostile environment? even the trend of migration to Lagos and Sw already proves the fact that Lagos and Sw is the investment destination so they can continue hating

Afonja007:
Ok who stopped abiola from becoming president of Nigeria? Who moved capital to Abuja? Who killed kudirat abiola? Who is the emir of Ilorin ? Let's play by your game,central bank was moved to Abuja Tinubu brought back the to Lagos another Northerner will move it back to abuja ,

NNEVERAGAINN:
of course it the truth. Stop acting as if you don't know

aylipple:
Your response provides further insight into the status of the Eastern Ports. However, a check on the official website of the IDSP indicates FG approval has been granted with the project currently at Full Business Case & procurement stage, albeit it's taking time; hopefully, it doesn't drag on or remain at that stage for too long. See here >> https://www.idsp.ak.gov.ng/ibom-deep-sea-port-project-status.php

As for Calabar Ports, I think there's a court case (or even multiple cases) due to contract issues that has stalled progress on its dredging or functionality.


Exactly! MAKIA for instance receives high volume of air travelers & cargoes especially to and from Arab nations yet, it's still not deemed viable.

ricson11:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYZlxMtHaHI?si=ciHJ1tWKrVXuSpuy

Social commentator Verydarkman criticized the concentration of opportunities and development in Lagos, arguing that it is stifling growth in other parts of Nigeria.

He questioned why nearly everything must be centered in Lagos while the rest of the country struggles

bdon123:
Oga am in my late 30ties....I am telling u that Nigeria as of today,no state can build a seaport like tincan Island Apapa .U tink a sea port is a motor park that anyone will jst wake up n build.Building seaports included signing major contracts wit a government of another country i.e u need federal government to be fully involved .No state as of today can build a port as sophisticated as tincan apapa dont be deceived.