Some experts in the maritime industry have solicited deliberate strategies to reposition Nigerian ports for global competitiveness, sustainability, and economic growth.

The experts made the plea during the third National Discourse, organized by Kelvin Kagbare, a maritime publisher, held in Lagos on Thursday.

The secretary-general of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control, Captain Sunday Umoren, described ports as the strategic instruments of national development.

Mr Umoren stated that over 90 percent of global trade is transported by sea, with African nations losing billions of dollars annually due to port inefficiencies. He stressed that automation and digitalisation are key determinants of competitiveness, with countries that had implemented port automation enjoying up to 65 per cent faster vessel turnaround times.

He said that such countries had 40 per cent lower cargo dwell times, adding that efficiency was now measured in minutes, not days.

Mr Umoren said, “Modernisation should go beyond infrastructure, encompassing institutional reform, human capital development, and technological innovation. Nigeria needs to harmonise regulations and foster stronger inter-agency collaboration to reduce administrative delays that currently cause over 40 per cent of cargo bottlenecks in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

He outlined ongoing national initiatives such as the Port Community System, the National Single Window Project, and deep-sea port developments in Lekki and Badagry as evidence of Nigeria’s progress toward regional leadership in maritime logistics.

The president of Women in Maritime Africa, Nigerian chapter, Rollens Macfoy, traced the evolution of Nigeria’s ports from colonial times to the present.

Ms Macfoy noted that the Nigerian Ports Authority, established in 1954, had been at the forefront of modernisation since the 2006 concession of cargo handling operations to private operators. 

She stated that the inauguration of the Lekki Deep Sea Port in 2023 marked a significant milestone, signifying Nigeria’s entry into the era of fully automated port systems.

Ms Macfoy revealed that between 2023 and 2024, ships calling at the ports increased by 5.6 per cent and export-laden containers grew by 53.7 per cent, reflecting the impact of modernisation.

She identified congestion, logistics inefficiencies, and infrastructure decay as persistent challenges, saying that the NPA was addressing these through quay wall rehabilitation, digital platforms, and enhanced rail connectivity to the hinterland.

“I call for regulatory reform through the proposed Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill (2023), which seeks to consolidate maritime laws and create a stronger oversight body. I also appeal that training, automation, should be prioritised to ensure sustainability and efficiency,” Ms Mcfoy said.

(NAN)