For Nigeria to surmount the challenges inherent in its transportation sector, both public and private sector investors need to put in close to N3 trillion in bridging the infrastructural deficit, Hassan Bello, executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), has said.
According to him, Nigeria needs to make consistent investment of not less than N100 billion per annum till the next 30 year in order to make up for the infrastructural deficit in the country.
Speaking at the Kings Leadership Lecture and Awards held in Lagos on Tuesday with the theme, “Leadership in a Next Level Democracy: Striking a Positive Balance in Transport Sector,” Bello described the challenges and infrastructural deficit in the transport sector as not disadvantage, but opportunities that investors can ride on to create jobs and wealth in the nation’s economy.
He said the recently signed African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) could be the spur that Nigerian transport sector vis-à-vis the port industry needs to grow, going by the near N2 trillion economy, 1.2 billion population as well as 54 countries, which the agreement presents to member countries like Nigeria.
“Nigeria is already a hub but leadership is extremely important to having fair competition. We have already started winning the war because we are now getting cargoes from our competitors. Of course, we have the problem of interconnectivity, which is being solved now; at least, the chaos in Apapa has reduced drastically,” said Bello.
On her part, Vicky Haastrup, chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), who blamed bad leadership for the ills plaguing the transport sector, lamented that despite huge revenue generated by the industry, it was not getting the needed attention from the government.
“Due to congestion on the port access road occasioned by bad roads, it now takes longer time for vessels to discharge. It is unfortunate that the maritime industry is what is it is today. Federal Government is talking about generating revenue without developing where the revenue comes. The problem of this country is poor leadership. If we have the right leaders with the right policies applied in every sector, the economy would be better for it,” she said.
She further said: “We are talking about optimising digitalisation and connectivity in transport sector, which we don’t have. Look at what Apapa and Tin-Can Island have become over the years. It is a shame and national disgrace to the federal government that access to the port has been abandoned for so long.”
Meanwhile, Bello said the NSC is contributing to bridging the gap created by the infrastructural deficit as containers are now being transported to Kaduna Inland Dry Port using the railway.
“We believe that by the time the infrastructure problems around Apapa are mitigated, we will see a resemblance of order but we are already having short, medium and long term solutions,” he stated.
“Though, there are challenges but we are sure that they will be dealt with. And by August, the Council will sign the $500 million Ibadan Dry Port facility. We are seeing efficiency in our ports but we need to reform our trucking and cargo clearing system,” he suggested.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
