Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, stated this in his keynote address at the League of Maritime Editor’s Annual General Meeting and Conference in Lagos, held under the theme “Lagos/Eastern Ports: How to Reverse Existing Imbalance in Disproportionate Cargo Vessel Calls.”
Represented by the Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Anastasia Ogbonna, the Minister said the under-utilisation of Onne, Calabar and Port Harcourt ports was increasing logistics costs and limiting supply-chain efficiency.
He said government would continue to invest in port modernisation, navigation, security, digitalisation and connectivity, stressing that Lagos and the Eastern ports should complement one another to improve trade and Nigeria’s maritime competitiveness.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Dr. Pius Akutah, MON, represented by the Deputy Director, Standard Services Division, Ms. Adaora Nwonu, said cargo distribution across Nigerian ports should be driven by competition and commercial considerations rather than administrative allocation.
Akutah said cargo owners and shipping lines should be allowed to choose ports based on factors including cost, efficiency, connectivity, reliability, security and quality of service.
He noted that the concentration of cargo in Lagos had increased congestion, raised logistics costs and placed additional pressure on road infrastructure, while depriving other regions of the economic opportunities associated with maritime trade.
To reverse the trend, he called for increased investment in road, rail, inland waterways and inland dry ports to establish efficient cargo corridors linking seaports with cargo destinations across the country.
The NPERA Chief also stressed the importance of digitalisation and transparent port-performance data, including vessel waiting time, cargo dwell time, terminal turnaround time, port charges and logistics costs.
He said access to reliable performance data would enable cargo owners and other users of the port system to make informed decisions and encourage healthy competition among Nigerian ports.
Akutah proposed the establishment of a National Port Competitiveness Index and a National Cargo Distribution Strategy, which would recognise and leverage the comparative advantages of individual ports.
He urged key stakeholders, including the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, shipping lines, terminal operators, state governments and private investors, to collaborate in removing the infrastructural, operational and regulatory barriers hindering the effective utilisation of Nigeria’s ports.
Speaking earlier, the President of LOME, Remi Itie, called for greater attention to issues that affect the overall development and sustainability of the maritime sector.
