FG moves to protect indigenous barge operators from foreign competition

The Federal Government has ordered an investigation into allegations that foreign-linked firms are edging out indigenous barge operators from Nigeria’s port system, raising fresh concerns over competition and local capacity in the maritime sector.

Adegboyega Oyetola, minister of marine and blue economy, directed the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to probe the claims following complaints from operators during a stakeholder engagement held in Lagos.

Local barge operators alleged that a coordinated push by some foreign interests, working with certain terminal operators, is tilting the market against them through preferential treatment and operational barriers.

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They warned that the trend is steadily eroding their market share and could weaken indigenous participation in port logistics if left unchecked.

Oyetola said the government would not tolerate practices that undermine Nigerian businesses, mandating the Shippers’ Council, the port economic regulator, to carry out a thorough and impartial investigation.

The intervention signals rising regulatory scrutiny over competition in Nigeria’s maritime logistics chain, particularly around access, pricing, and operational control within the ports system.