FG Unveils Port Modernisation Plan To Boost Nigeria’s Maritime Competitiveness
The Federal Government has unveiled a comprehensive plan to modernise Nigeria’s seaports as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s position as a major maritime hub in West and Central Africa.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this while outlining the government’s strategy to upgrade critical infrastructure at Apapa, Tin Can Island and other ports across the country.
Oyetola, who was represented by the General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Seyi Iyawe, said the modernisation programme had received government approval and was designed to improve port efficiency, accommodate larger vessels and reduce cargo handling costs.
According to him, the objective is to develop ports capable of moving cargo more efficiently, reducing vessel turnaround time and lowering the cost of doing business for operators and importers.
“Our objective is to create ports that can move cargo, accommodate larger vessels, reduce turnaround time and lower the cost per unit of cargo handled,” he said.
The minister also stressed the need to expand Nigeria’s deep-sea port capacity, noting that the country could no longer rely solely on its traditional ports to meet the demands of growing international trade.
He said the government was investing in modern marine equipment, including tugboats, mooring boats and pilot boats, to enhance vessel movement, safety and operational efficiency within Nigerian waters.
Oyetola further identified improved maritime security as a key component of the government’s strategy to attract more international trade and investment.
He said Nigeria had recorded four consecutive years without piracy incidents in its territorial waters, adding that improved security and regulatory compliance had helped restore confidence in the country’s maritime sector.
“The more competitive our ports become, the greater the volume of legitimate trade they will attract. The more efficient our ports become, the more attractive Nigeria becomes to investors,” he said.
However, the Executive Director, Operations and Technical, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh, warned that modernising port terminals alone would not be sufficient to make Nigeria’s maritime sector competitive.
Enisuoh called for a broader approach that would include the modernisation of roads, rail lines, inland waterways, truck management systems and other infrastructure required for the efficient evacuation of cargo from ports.
He said congestion would persist if cargo could not move efficiently out of the terminals, regardless of how advanced the facilities within the ports became.
“You cannot modernise a port without modernising its exit point,” Enisuoh said.
He maintained that the real measure of port competitiveness was the speed and efficiency with which cargo could be moved from terminals to its final destination.
According to him, automation of operations at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports would have limited impact if the wider cargo evacuation system remained inefficient.
Enisuoh cited the Port of Lomé in Togo as an example of how strategic investment in deeper channels and streamlined processes could improve the competitiveness of a regional maritime gateway.
He also pointed to the increasing size of vessels operating in international waters, noting that some modern container ships now have capacities exceeding 20,000 twenty-foot equivalent units.
He therefore urged Nigeria to urgently deepen and expand its port infrastructure to enable the country to receive larger vessels and compete more effectively with neighbouring ports.
The Tantita executive also raised concerns over the multiplicity of government agencies and procedures confronting shipping agents and other port users.
He said operators often had to deal separately with agencies such as the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and Nigeria Customs Service, a situation he said contributed to delays and increased operating costs.
Enisuoh consequently advocated the establishment of a genuine one-stop-shop system that would allow port users to complete regulatory, documentation and payment requirements through an integrated platform.
He said such reforms, combined with improved infrastructure and efficient cargo evacuation, would be critical to transforming Nigerian ports into globally competitive maritime gateways.
