Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector have described the situation as operationally unsustainable and economically detrimental, attributing the ongoing traffic jams and inefficiencies at Lagos ports to the over-concentration of port operations in the state.
They argued that years of excessive reliance on the Lagos ports— Apapa, Tin Can Island, Ports and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML), Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) and Lilypond—have resulted in monumental traffic gridlock, systemic inefficiencies, rising corruption, and severe pressure on port access roads.
As a result, the stakeholders applauded the Federal Government’s reinvigorated efforts to modernize and activate eastern ports, pointing out that the action would benefit Lagos and the nation as a whole in the long run.
Industry observers disregarded the Lagos State Government’s worries that reviving eastern ports might lower cargo throughput at Lagos ports, arguing that these worries were unfounded and based on insufficient data.
The majority of import and export cargo is forced into Lagos due to the underutilization of ports at Port Harcourt (Rivers State), Warri and Koko (Delta State), and Calabar (Cross River State) for decades, overtaxing the state’s infrastructure.
But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken action to buck the trend, announcing plans to modernize and revitalize seaports across the country. According to analysts, the initiative will guarantee balanced regional development, increase government revenue, and increase cargo volumes.
A port modernization scheme worth $1 billion (about N1.6 trillion) was recently approved by the president with the goal of putting Nigerian ports on par with those in North America, Asia, and Europe.
During a conference held by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) in
Lagos that procurement procedures for comparable improvements at eastern ports had already started.
Following the declaration, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos State Government voiced their concerns regarding the decentralization of port operations. Mr. Adekoya Hassan, his Senior Special Advisor on Transportation and Logistics, blasted the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for refocusing its operations on ports in Warri and Koko, stating that it might cause traffic jams similar to those in Lagos.
But according to an industry insider, the decentralization program was already having an impact, with more containers being handled at the ports in Warri and Koko.
The Federal Government’s decision was timely and necessary, according to maritime analyst Ismail Aniemu.
“While some eastern ports like Onne and Port Harcourt are already functional, there is an urgent need to channel more cargo traffic to Warri and Calabar. The advantages are huge, but this calls for ongoing maintenance dredging, he added.
According to Aniemu, a large portion of Lagos’ traffic jams are caused by cargo that is routed through Lagos and carried by road to Onitsha, Aba, Owerri, Port Harcourt, and other eastern cities.
As a result, there is fierce competition for the few available road spaces, which frequently results in accidents, lost shipments, and even fatalities. He claimed that restoring eastern ports would alleviate this strain and restore equilibrium.
Activating river ports like Onitsha, which are backed by barges, he continued, would improve inland logistics and trade efficiency even more.
Aniemu stated that the policy would promote economic growth throughout the value chain, including employment, investment, security, and tourism, in addition to relieving traffic in Lagos.
“Where maritime trade thrives, hotels, recreation, logistics and other services flourish. Nigeria is at issue here, not just Lagos. Lagos cannot accommodate everybody,” he stressed.
