Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex (ESIC), Delta State, Nigeria
The Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex (ESIC) is a planned port and industrial complex in Warri South-West, Delta State, Nigeria, on the Escravos River. The master plan by James Cubitt Architects (2022) combines a deep sea port, a free trade zone, a refinery, gas, power, an airport, green areas, new towns and a resettlement area. The public-private partnership (PPP) concept of April 2026 is a draft for negotiation.
Open the 3D model and mapesic.register@impppact.org
Key facts
| Item | Development concept A: project documents | Development concept B: PPP concept, April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Site area | about 20,000 ha | 30,000 ha |
| Investment | US$3.75 billion programme cost | US$27.29 billion (Phase I US$6.575 bn, Phase II US$20.715 bn) |
| Port concession term | 60 years | 35 years (whole agreement) |
| Port | about 2,504 ha, about 12 km of berths, capex US$258.5 million excluding dredging, design vessel 59,000 DWT (288 m, 13.3 m draft) | Work package 1: US$2.0 billion, DBFOM 30 years, operational at month 84 |
| Refinery | about 1,800 ha | 800,000 barrels per day, US$20 billion (Phase II) |
| Location | Warri South-West LGA, Delta State; centre of the plan about 5.67 °N, 5.42 °E | |
The two development concepts show how the complex can grow in stages and at different scales; final figures are set during planning and negotiation. Parties to the PPP concept (draft for negotiation): Delta State Government and Mercury Maritime Concession Company Ltd. (MMCC).
Zones
| Zone | Name | Plan label (ha) | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deep Sea Port | 2,504 | Quay, container yard, ship-to-shore cranes; design vessel 59,000 DWT, 13.3 m draft |
| 2 | Free Trade Zone | 12,463 | Warehousing and light industry |
| 3a | Crude Oil Refinery | about 1,880 (label partly hidden) | Tank farm, process units, flare |
| 3b | Oil & Gas Free Trade Zone | 1,008 | Gas complex with storage spheres |
| 5 | Independent Power Plant | 627 | Turbine halls and stacks |
| 6 | International Airport | not labelled | Runway, terminal, apron |
| 6a | Conservation / Park | 501 | Protected forest and mangrove |
| 6b | Nature Park / Golf Course | not labelled | Golf course and green belt |
| 7 | New Towns | 2,044 | Residential and mixed use |
| RA | Resettlement Area | 1,202 | Relocation housing |
Project promoter
Mercury Maritime Concession Company (MMCC) Ltd. presents itself on its website as the promoter and developer of the Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex (ESIC-1) project in Delta State and of further projects in Lagos. MMCC is the counterparty of the Delta State Government in the PPP concept of April 2026 (draft for negotiation). Official project information: www.mmcc.ng.
How companies register
- Open the interactive model and choose a zone in the Zones tab, on the map or in the 3D view.
- Press Register and complete the five steps: zone and role, company profile, zone-specific qualification, compliance and declarations, review.
- On submission the registration is stored and sent to the ESIC programme office as a PDF. You receive an indicative result as a self-assessment.
Pre-qualification here is a self-assessment against draft criteria, not an admission decision. All statements must be supported by documents on request.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex (ESIC)?
The Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex (ESIC) is a planned industrial and port complex in Delta State, Nigeria. The master plan by James Cubitt Architects (2022) combines a deep sea port, a free trade zone, an oil refinery, an oil and gas free trade zone, an independent power plant, an international airport, conservation and park areas, new towns and a resettlement area. The public-private partnership (PPP) concept for the project is a draft for negotiation (April 2026).
Where is the ESIC located?
In Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria, on the Escravos River, about 8 nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The centre of the master plan is at about 5.67 °N, 5.42 °E, close to the settlements Okerenkoko and Okerenghigho.
How large is the ESIC and what does it cost?
Earlier project documents describe a site of about 20,000 ha and a programme cost of US$3.75 billion. The draft PPP agreement of April 2026 describes 30,000 ha and an investment of US$27.29 billion (Phase I US$6.575 billion, Phase II US$20.715 billion). These two development concepts show the range in which the complex can grow in stages; final figures are set in planning and negotiation.
Which zones does the ESIC have?
Ten zones are shown in the model: 1 Deep Sea Port, 2 Free Trade Zone, 3a Crude Oil Refinery, 3b Oil & Gas Free Trade Zone, 5 Independent Power Plant, 6 International Airport, 6a Conservation / Park, 6b Nature Park / Golf Course, 7 New Towns and RA Resettlement Area.
What is the status of the PPP agreement?
The agreement between the Delta State Government and Mercury Maritime Concession Company Ltd. (MMCC) is a draft for negotiation dated April 2026. It proposes a concession term of 35 years from Financial Close, a special purpose vehicle held 51 % by MMCC and 49 % by co-investors (indicative), a minimum demand guarantee of 2,000,000 TEU per year from year 5 (maximum US$80 million per year) and ICC arbitration with its seat in Lagos.
How can my company register for a zone?
Open the interactive model at https://esic.impppact.org, choose a zone and press Register. The form has five steps: zone and role, company profile, zone-specific qualification, compliance and declarations, and review. On submission the registration is stored and sent to the ESIC programme office as a PDF. You can register for several zones; your company data is reused.
What does pre-qualification mean here?
The form scores your answers against draft criteria for each zone (company capacity 25 %, zone qualification 45 %, compliance 30 %) and shows an indicative result: pre-qualified, conditionally pre-qualified, not yet eligible or not eligible. It is a self-assessment, not an admission decision. All statements must be supported by documents on request, and the criteria are drafts to be confirmed by the programme office.
How accurate is the 3D model and the map position?
The zones come from the master plan outlines and are matched to satellite imagery to about 150 m. The imagery itself is georeferenced to about 50 m using nine named settlements. Phasing, buildings, ships and traffic in the 3D model are illustrative development concepts that detailed design will develop. Topographic and bathymetric surveys are planned for the feasibility phase; until then the relief is a concept model.
What happens with the data I submit?
The registration is stored on the server of esic.impppact.org and emailed to esic.register@impppact.org for the ESIC programme office. Contact that address for questions or to ask for deletion.
Status and sources
Costs and areas come from ESIC project documents (concept A) and the PPP concept of April 2026 (concept B). Zones come from the master plan by James Cubitt Architects (2022). Phasing, structures and traffic in the 3D model are illustrative development concepts. Last updated: 6 November 2026.