Dangote Quays sandbar breakwater, Lekki, Nigeria

The sandbar breakwater at the Dangote Quays in Lekki, Nigeria, demonstrates an innovative nature-based solution that works with coastal processes rather than against them to provide effective port protection (World Bank, 2025). Located at the Dangote Quays in Lekki and developed between 2017 and 2018, the project protects the quays and jetty built for the Dangote Refinery and Fertilizer Plant project, by using natural sediment transport and wave dynamics to form a stable and resilient outer breakwater system. Instead of relying solely on conventional rock armour structures, the design leverages naturally occurring longshore sand transport to construct and maintain a sandbar breakwater that evolves dynamically with its environment.

The project applies the principles of sustainable sediment management, capturing and shaping sand moved by waves and currents to attenuate wave energy entering the port basin. This approach aligns the breakwater’s performance with natural coastal processes, reducing wave impacts while allowing the coastline to reach a new equilibrium orientation over time. Satellite imagery and post-construction observations confirm that the coastline reshaped as expected after wet seasons, validating the design assumptions and reinforcing confidence in the nature-based approach.

Ecologically, the sandbar breakwater preserves and enhances sandy beach and intertidal zone systems while avoiding the extensive seabed disturbance typically associated with large, rigid breakwater construction. The use of sand rather than quarried rock significantly reduces ecological disruption, supports nearshore habitats,The design is a hybrid: concrete armor units protect the tip and the exposed western side, with rock elsewhere (van der Spek et al., 2020). The breakwater also interrupts longshore sand transport; without mitigation the designers expected about 100 m of downdrift coastline retreat in a year, managed through repeated yearly nourishment in the form of a small-scale sand engine of about 850,000 m3 a year (van der Spek et al., 2020). No measured habitat or biodiversity gain has been reported.

The designers report lower construction cost and a shorter program than for a conventional breakwater, because less quarry material was needed; the breakwater was built in the first half of 2018 in under five months and the facility has operated since September 2018 (van der Spek et al., 2020). The sand-based design also allows for flexibility in future port expansion, as the breakwater can be reshaped or extended more easily than rigid structures.

Key lessons from the Dangote Quays project highlight the value of nature-based solutions in large-scale port infrastructure. Harnessing natural sediment processes can reduce capital expenditure and add adaptability. However, success depends on comprehensive coastal research, advanced numerical modeling, and ongoing monitoring to confirm system behavior and enable adaptive management. The Lekki sandbar breakwater is an example of a hybrid nature-based design that depends on continuing sand management.