Former presidential candidate says Nigeria’s infrastructure investment remains excessively concentrated in Lagos.
by Blue Africa News
A growing number of influential Nigerians are calling on the country’s government to diversify port development beyond Lagos, to ensure equitable marine infrastructural growth across the West African nation.
Led by Peter Obi, former governor and 2023 presidential candidate, a diverse number of Nigerians say as much as concentration of port activities in Lagos is key, too much concentration will create chronic congestion, high demurrage costs (a charge payable to the owner of a ship on failure to load or discharge the ship within the time agreed) and environmental pressures.
“Nigeria’s infrastructure investment remains excessively concentrated in Lagos, often at the expense of other strategic ports such as Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne,” said Obi, as reported by local media.
“If fully developed, these ports could enhance productivity, drive trade, create jobs, and open new economic corridors that would lift millions out of poverty across the federation,” he added.
The former presidential candidate’s sentiments were based on the recent announcement that the government of Nigeria had approved of US$1 billion (N1.5 trillion) for the modernisation of the Apapa and TinCan Island ports, in Lagos.
Obi said the government’s bid to improve efficiency and embrace technology in the country’s maritime sector is commendable, but added that such “an initiative must be guided by accountability, transparency, and equity for all Nigerians.
“However, this development once again exposes a longstanding concentration of our port development only in Lagos.”
And he is not alone. According to Ibrahim Oyemade, a Nigerian marketing expert, in order to align with the country’s Blue Economy vision of inclusivity and fairness, the government should adopt a regional port differentiation model.
Lagos, said the expert, should concentrate on container and industrial imports, Onne/Warri should focus on oil, gas and petrochemicals transshipment while Calabar should work on agro-exports.
“Nigeria’s existing seaports must transcend beyond infrastructural necessity, but national imperative, just like other African countries with diversified functional ports,” said Oyemade in a LinkedIn post.
While announcing the US$1 billion transformation plan for Apapa and Tin Can ports, Adegboyega Oyetola, Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy said the project forms part of the administration’s broader 10-year marine and blue economy strategy, aimed at repositioning Nigeria as a leading maritime hub in West Africa.
The modernisation, he added, will focus on infrastructure rehabilitation, technology integration, and operational efficiency.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News