The Federal Government has announced a comprehensive national strategy to reverse the long-standing imbalance in cargo distribution between Lagos ports and underutilised eastern ports, describing the initiative as a critical economic imperative for reducing logistic costs and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness as a West African maritime hub.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adewola Oyentola, disclosed the plan in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by Mrs. Aneslecia Ogboma, Director of Press at the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, at the General Meeting and Conference of the League of Maritime Editors in Lagos, where he outlined a multi-pronged reform agenda aimed at creating a balanced, efficient and interconnected national port system.
Speaking at the event, the Minister said the heavy concentration of vessels and cargo traffic at Lagos ports, particularly Apapa and Tin Can Island, while eastern ports such as Onne, Warri, Koko and Calabar remain relatively underutilised, has profound implications for national logistic costs, regional economic development, infrastructure efficiency, investment and the overall competitiveness of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
“For decades, Lagos ports have handled overwhelmingly the proportion of Nigeria’s seaborne cargo traffic. This is understandable, given their historical importance and the concentration of commercial activities around Lagos. However, the effect of this has plagued our ports and their operating infrastructure. We are all familiar with the consequences: congestion, long cargo dwell and vessel turnaround times, increased demurrage and logistic costs, pressure on our road infrastructure, environmental challenges and inefficiencies throughout the supply chain,” the Minister said in the address read by Mrs. Ogboma.
He noted that the eastern ports, by virtue of their proximity to major industrial, agricultural, energy and commercial activities in the southeast and north-central zones, have considerable strategic and economic potentials to serve significant portions of Nigeria’s hinterland, support regional industrial clusters, facilitate exports, promote agro-allied value chains and stimulate economic activities across the eastern and Niger Delta regions.
However, the Minister acknowledged that this potential has not yet been realised due to challenges relating to draft limitations, infrastructure conditions, navigational constraints, security concerns, hinterland connectivity, equipment, operational costs and the predictability of services.
“Reversing this imbalance is therefore not a regional demand, it is a national economic imperative. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the federal government has adopted a deliberate and strategic approach to transforming Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and positioning the sector as a stronger driver of economic growth,” he stated.
The Minister said the modernization and rehabilitation of eastern ports are integral parts of the federal government’s port development strategies, with the objective of addressing the infrastructure and operational constraints that have historically limited the competitiveness of these ports.
“This includes improving channel depths and navigability, rehabilitating critical infrastructure, enhancing navigational safety, upgrading cargo handling facilities, strengthening security and improving the overall operating environment for shipping lines, terminal operators and cargo owners,” he said.
He explained that the reconstruction of breakwaters and channel management integrations, including works along the Escravos channel, together with new investment by private terminal operators, are important elements of this broader effort. Government is also encouraging greater private sector participation in port development because the scale of investment required cannot and should not be borne by government alone.
“Our objective in this regard is straightforward: to make every viable Nigerian port capable of competing for cargo on the basis of efficiency, reliability, cost and quality of service,” the Minister said.
Addressing why major physical modernization activities are currently receiving particular attention at western ports, especially Apapa and Tin Can Island, the Minister gave four reasons.
First, the scale of existing pressure: Lagos remains Nigeria’s principal maritime gateway and currently handles the largest concentration of import and export cargo. Consequently, inefficiencies at the Lagos port have a disproportionate impact on the national economy. Congestion, delays and infrastructure constraints at these ports translate directly into increased logistic costs for businesses and consumers across the country. Addressing the most heavily utilised and most severely pressured infrastructure therefore offers the quickest opportunity to reduce systemic inefficiencies and deliver immediate economic benefits to the nation.
Second, the need to protect continuity of national trade: Port modernization cannot be undertaken without taking into account the need to keep trade moving. Attempting to carry out major reconstruction simultaneously across principal western and eastern gateways without adequate alternative capacity could create significant disruption to the movement of cargo and expose the national supply chain to unnecessary risks. A carefully sequenced program allows improvement of capacity while ensuring that Nigeria’s international trade continues to flow.
Third, financing and project readiness: The Lagos port modernization program attained financial and contractual readiness earlier, allowing implementation to commence ahead of some of the eastern port interventions.
Fourth, creating a truly multi-port system: The long-term objective of government is to create a multi-port system in which cargo owners and shipping lines have viable alternatives and can choose gateways based on efficiency, costs, reliability, and proximity to their markets.
“We are not developing Lagos ports at the expense of the east. We are strengthening Lagos while building capacity of the eastern corridor to assume a greater and more strategic share of national maritime traffic,” the Minister emphasised.
The Minister said redistributing cargo and vessel calls will not happen simply because infrastructure is improved, as shipping lines make commercial decisions based on drafts, interlinked connectivity, and the overall credibility of port operations. For this reason, the Ministry is pursuing a broader package of complementary reforms.
On maritime security and navigational safety, government will continue to support measures that enhance security along the eastern maritime corridor and build confidence among ship owners, operators, and cargo interests.
On operational and commercial incentives, conditions must be created to make it commercially attractive for shipping lines and cargo owners to use ports outside Lagos. This will require continuous engagement with terminal operators, shipping lines, freight forwarders, cargo owners, and other stakeholders to identify and remove professional barriers.
On digitization, the digital transformation of ports’ processes remains central to the reform agenda. The National Single Window Port Community System and related digital initiatives are intended to reduce unnecessary physical interactions, improve information sharing among agencies and operators, enhance transparency, and make cargo clearance more predictable.
On stronger interlinked connectivity, a port is only as competitive as the logistics network that connects it to its markets. Consequently, greater attention must be given to road, rail, and inland waterways and barge connectivity. The development of efficient, multimodal connections to the eastern ports will be particularly important in unlocking their potential and extending their market reach beyond their immediate geographical locations.
On stronger public-private partnership, government will continue to create an enabling environment for private investments in port reconstruction, terminal operations, logistics, and related services. The investments will be taking place in and around ports such as Onne and will demonstrate that private capital is willing to participate where there is a credible commercial opportunity and a supportive regulatory environment.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of the role of maritime media in this transformation. “The media is not merely a reporter of what happens in the sector. You are an important stakeholder in shaping public understanding, attracting investment, and promoting accountability. As maritime editors and journalists, you have the capacity to interrogate policies, highlight bottlenecks, draw attention to areas requiring urgent intervention, and where progress is being made, communicating that progress to the public,” he said.
He encouraged the League of Maritime Editors to continue providing a platform for objective and evidence-based discussion of the challenges confronting the sector. “Government must be prepared to listen to constructive criticism. Just as the media must be prepared to recognize and communicate progress where progress is being made. That partnership is essential if we are to build a maritime sector that Nigerians can be proud of,” he said.
The Minister concluded by saying the imbalance between Lagos and the Eastern Ports is the product of decades of infrastructure investment, operational and historical factors. “It cannot be corrected overnight, but it can be corrected and must be corrected. Our approach is therefore one of deliberate policy, strategic sequencing, infrastructure investment, private sector participation, digital transformation, improved security, and stronger multimodal connectivity,” he said.
“Our vision is a Nigeria where cargo moves through the gateway that provides the greatest efficiency, reliability, and value, irrespective of its geographical location. That is the port system we are working to build. And when we achieve it, the benefits will go far beyond the ports themselves. We will reduce logistic costs, strengthen regional economies, attract investment, create jobs, improve trade competitiveness, and reinforce Nigeria’s position as a leading maritime and logistic hub in West Africa,” the Minister said.