Nigeria handles less cargo than neighbours – NPA

The Nigerian Ports Authority has lamented that despite Nigeria’s population exceeding 200 million, the country handles less than two million twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo yearly, trailing behind neighbouring countries with populations under 15 million.

It expressed concern over Nigeria’s underperformance in maritime trade compared to neighbouring countries with smaller populations yet handling significantly larger cargo volumes yearly.

The Managing Director of NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, stated this while speaking at the 25th Anniversary of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders.

Represented by the General Manager of Operations at NPA, Dr Charles Okaga, Dantsoho also highlighted the discrepancy between Nigeria’s trade volumes and its domestic consumption needs.

Dantsoho called for a collective effort to unlock Nigeria’s potential as a maritime powerhouse in Africa, leveraging opportunities such as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

“You will agree with me that the comparative analysis of trade volumes passing through our ports is a far cry from what is consumed in the country. We all need to be challenged as stakeholders in resolving the puzzle of why neighboring countries with a population of less than 15 million will be handling TEUs of two million metric tons per annum while Nigeria, with over 200 million people handles less than two million metric tons per annum,” he stated.

Reflecting on the sector’s trajectory,  Dantsoho lamented the lack of significant progress since the 2006 port reforms, calling for urgent action to modernise the industry to meet the growing population, and economic demands, improve cargo throughput, and drive business operations.

He emphasised targeted investments in technology, infrastructure, and strategic partnerships to drive the sector forward as well as seize the opportunity presented by AfCFTA and other international agreements to transform Nigeria into a hub for maritime trade in Africa.

Dantsoho also emphasised the need for Nigeria to capitalise on its maritime resources, demographic advantage, and strategic geography to harness its blue economy potential.

The NPA boss commended NAGAFF’s contributions to promoting professionalism, transparency, and adherence to global best practices as well as its robust engagement with regulatory agencies and advocacy for training and capacity building as key to its success.

He also urged NAGAFF to continue leveraging its influence to promote port security and address the challenges of unauthorised access to port facilities, which compromises safety.

Dantsoho added that effective port security is the backbone of a reliable maritime sector.

Earlier, the National President of NAGAFF, Tochukwu Ezisi, appealed to the Nigeria Customs Service, the NPA, and other government agencies to align their operations with global standards.

Highlighting issues like inefficiencies, arbitrary duties, port charges, and delays caused by inefficiencies and excessive government agencies, Ezisi called for interventions from the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, to enhance competitiveness.