Akwa Ibom State is abundantly blessed with a vast maritime environment rich in oil and gas resources. At the heart of this maritime advantage lies the Ibaka Bay Natural Harbour in Oron Nation, a rare coastal asset with a naturally deep, non-dredged draft exceeding 13 metres and, according to several studies, among the most favourable locations in the Gulf of Guinea for the development of a world-class deep seaport.
A significant percentage of Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas production is derived from the coastal and maritime environment of the Oron Nation. This contribution has played a major role in making Akwa Ibom one of Nigeria’s leading oil-producing states. For decades, maritime experts and development planners have recognised the strategic advantages of Ibaka Bay.
Historical records indicate that when plans were being made for the Calabar Seaport in the 1970s, technical studies identified Ibaka Bay as the preferred location. However, the project was reportedly relocated approximately 84 kilometres inland along the shallow Calabar River. Today, the Calabar Port continues to struggle with the enormous and recurring cost of dredging, a situation many analysts cite as evidence of the consequences of abandoning sound engineering considerations.
