President Bola Tinubu will commission Nigeria's first wholly indigenous onshore crude export terminal in over five decades on October 8, a $400 million Otakikpo facility in Rivers State that promises to unblock 40 stranded oil fields and ramp up daily output amid chronic evacuation woes.

Developed by Green Energy International Limited in OML 11's Ikuru town, Andoni Local Government Area, the terminal boasts 750,000 barrels initial storage—expandable to three million—and 360,000 barrels per day loading capacity.

GEIL's Executive Director of Legal and Corporate Services, Olusegun Ilori, called it a "strategic infrastructure" aligning with Tinubu's production push, potentially slashing costs for local operators and easing Nigeria's three-million-barrel-per-day target.

The event draws heavyweights like Petroleum Minister of State Heineken Lokpobiri and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, spotlighting a milestone since the 1971 Forcados build.

GEIL CEO Anthony Adegbulugbe hailed it as a "game-changer," freeing millions of trapped barrels to fuel the economy while curbing vandalism and theft that have hobbled the sector.Industry voices see it as a confidence booster for investors, reversing production dips and operational hikes.

With Sangomar's local crude unfit for Senegal's refinery, Nigeria's Erha grade fills the gap—mirroring how Otakikpo could redefine regional flows.

As the October 8 ribbon-cutting nears, the terminal stands as a beacon of homegrown ingenuity, though experts caution sustained security and funding will determine if it truly transforms Nigeria's oil fortunes.