Nigerian ports must face urgent reforms to stay competitive – Experts

Amid concerns over Nigeria’s port efficiency, stakeholders in the maritime and logistics sector have called for urgent reforms to position the country as a dominant player in regional trade.

At a roundtable discussion hosted by the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) on Tuesday, industry leaders warned that inefficiencies, high costs, and poor infrastructure threaten Nigeria’s competitive edge in West Africa.

“If we are to be competitive, then our products, service and raw materials must be competitive,” said Ikenna Nwosu, chair of NBCC’s marine and logistics committee, who stressed the need for Nigeria to leverage its position as Africa’s largest market.

Port bottlenecks pushing cargo to neighbouring countries

Ray Atelly, president and council chair of the NBCC, described Nigerian ports as a “cash cow” that has been treated primarily as a revenue source rather than a trade enabler, warning that Nigeria risks ceding dominance to francophone West African nations if it fails to modernise its ports.

“There has to be an integrated approach that starts from documentation, inspection, clearance to transportation of cleared goods,” he said, confident that Nigerian ports can handle 50 percent of West Africa’s trade.

The inefficiencies have already pushed many importers to divert their cargo to ports in Lomé and Cotonou. Stakeholders at the meeting traced the cause to multiple factors including excessive regulatory bottlenecks, poor infrastructure, and prohibitive costs.

Six of Nigeria’s major ports, excluding the recently developed Lekki Deep Seaport, struggle with dilapidated infrastructure, congested road access, and prolonged cargo clearance times.

Emenike Nwokeoji, President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), confirmed the diversion of cargo, lamenting the hurdles in clearing trucks, which result in additional daily costs. “At Tema Port [in Ghana], there are 12 scanners, while Nigerian ports have fewer than three in terminals,” he said of the ports handling over 250 containers.

The cost of transporting goods from Kano to Lagos is sometimes three times the value of the cargo, a maritime business person revealed, also complaining of delay in cargo movement obstructing the flow of business.

They noted that it takes up to six hours for ten trucks to move into APM Terminals in Apapa and up to 48 hours for 100 trucks to move from the transit park to the port.

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Path to port competitiveness

Abubakar Dantsoho, director-general of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), acknowledged that AfCFTA presents both an opportunity and a challenge for Nigeria’s ports and outlined ongoing modernisation efforts, including the rehabilitation of the Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port as pilot projects.

“The NPA, in collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), is working towards a Port Community System (PCS), which will integrate into the National Single Window (NSW) for improved efficiency,” Dantsoho said in his speech delivered by a representative.

He also said that new deep-seaport projects are underway in Badagry, Ibom, and Calabar. “With the right skilled manpower, these ports will enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness,” he added.

To address congestion, the NPA has engaged Messrs. Trucks Transit Park (TTP) to operate a truck e-call-up system, with over 70,000 trucks already registered. “There is a direct correlation between port efficiency and hinterland cargo evacuation,” he said.

The private sector’s role

The importance of private sector investment in boosting port capacity was a recurring topic among experts. Bolaji, chairman of the Nigerian Overseas Chamber of Commerce (NOCC), called for digital transformation and capacity-building initiatives to enhance efficiency.

Celestine Akujobi, director of consumer affairs at the Nigerian Shippers Council, representing the President, also shared his perspective, noting that the NPA has acted as an port regulator since 2014 and maintains communication with shipping companies to ensure fair practices.

With AfCFTA promising to break down trade barriers across the continent, Nigeria risks losing relevance if its ports remain inefficient.

According to Princess Audu, director general of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Nigeria must reduce its dependence on Lagos ports and invest in alternative deep-sea ports.

She explained that port expansion demands long-term partnerships and investment. “If you put money into ports, it will take 50 to 100 years to break even,” she said, while encouraging partnership among key players. “Agencies must collaborate rather than operate in silos.”

The Nigerian Ports Authority, on its part, maintains that its concessioning program, which raised questions from industry players, “has been great” and improved private participation in business and cargo volume, according to Seyi Eyawe, who represented the NPA DG.

On politics and policy alignment

One argument is that Nigeria’s port inefficiencies are not just operational but also political.

Experts say that multiple government agencies treat ports as revenue generators rather than facilitators of trade, agreeing that strong political will is needed to break deadlocks.

“Government has turned regulatory agencies into profitmaking agencies. They’re now finding faults instead of regulating to meet targets,” the ANCLA president said.

While stakeholders believe Nigerian ports still have the potential to reclaim regional dominance, they warn that inaction will only accelerate cargo diversion to better-managed ports in West Africa.

“It’s either we cash in or sleep while less-fortunate nations around us enhance their competitiveness,” said Atelly.

With over N758 billion generated from Nigeria’s six seaports, stakeholders agree that the sector holds immense potential. However, without urgent reforms, Nigeria risks ceding its trade dominance to regional competitors.