The management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said it is intensifying efforts to revive Nigeria’s eastern ports, as part of the federal government’s drive to expand economic diversification through the blue economy.
Speaking during a panel at a breakfast meeting organised by the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS) in collaboration with Lekki Port held in Lagos, Managing Director of the NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, lamented that the decades of ports infrastructural neglect has left it trailing smaller countries such as Togo, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, whose seaports have become preferred destinations for shippers, larger vessels and transshipment traffic in West and Central Africa.
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He said that due to the infrastructure deficit, Nigeria’s ports currently handle about two million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) yearly, far below those of smaller regional competitors, despite its advantage in trade and population.
“Our competitors in Lome, Cotonou, Abidjan and Tema are only enjoying an advantage because we have not fixed our ports. By every global indicator, Nigeria is the largest economy and the most populous country in Africa, yet today, Abidjan and Lome handle higher volumes than Lagos. This is the gap we must urgently close,” Mr Dantsoho stated.
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As part of efforts to improve efficiency at Nigerian Ports, the NPA management says it has consistently championed infrastructure upgrades and stakeholder partnerships, focusing on repositioning Onne and Port Harcourt ports while reviving Calabar, Warri, and other South-South facilities to attract ship traffic and investments.
The agency explained that the effort to revive eastern ports’ operations will not only relieve heavy loads on Lagos ports but also maximize the potential of the underused eastern ports, which are closer to key markets and resources.
The renewed push aligns with the “Nigeria First” policy, which prioritises infrastructure modernisation, operational efficiency, and indigenous participation in the maritime sector.
The Eastern ports are being repositioned as a competitive gateway, for shorter turnaround times, closer access to the South-East and North-Central industrial clusters, lower transportation costs, and the ability to move agricultural and mineral products more efficiently.
Eastern ports
To deepen the country’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Mr Dantsoho and the NPA management have embarked on series of Eastern-ports-focused tours, which it said had resulted in investors developing interest in Rivers, Calabar, and Burutu Ports.
Also, this includes the wholly Nigerian-owned MV Ocean Dragon at Onne’s West African Container Terminal (WACT) on 31 July.
With a 349 TEU capacity, the MV Ocean Dragon aims to ply routes across West, Central, and Southern Africa, while exemplifying the “Nigeria First” policy.
The new tariffs introduced on 1 March by NPA were also part of the port authority’s push to actualise its 25-year master plan, which prioritises automation, cybersecurity, and sustainability, and includes a proposed ‘Green Craft Acquisition Fund’ for IMO-compliant vessels.
To link Eastern Nigeria to international routes and enhance transshipment under the AfCFTA, Global shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd recently launched a weekly service at Onne port, Eleme, Rivers State. It was done in partnership with relevant agencies of government, like the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), for 24-hour operations, with the aim of reducing cargo release times and curbing diversions to neighbouring ports.
The NPA says indicators reflect significant gains as service boat Gross Registered Tonnage rose 129.3 percent to 4.58 million tons in 2024, with larger vessels now berthing at Eastern facilities.
While anticipating growth, NPA projected revenue is expected to hit N1.28 trillion in 2025, up from N894.86 billion last year, with the Eastern ports contributing substantially to the increase.
The agency recorded a commitment of $350 million loan by Afrexim Bank to facilitate shipbuilding and expansion of the yard, by the Founder of Starz Marine and Engineering Limited in Rivers State, Greg Ogbeifun. The move is expected to aid the expansion of Starz’s shipyard from 500 tons to 10,000 tons lifting capacity, 120-meter-long circle lift, for the purpose of achieving quality ship repair and building, which Nigerians have had cause to travel for.
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Port terminal operations
The agency says that infrastructure modernisation remains central to the Eastern ports’ development, as ongoing dredging, terminal expansion projects, new tugboats, and the deployment of electronic call-up systems have reduced vessel turnaround times to an average of 5.16 days.
With these efforts, the agency projects that manufacturers in Aba, traders in Onitsha, and industrial hubs in Nnewi will maximise the benefit from cost-saving access to nearby ports, while the Eastern corridor positions Nigeria for greater participation in regional and global trade.
Mr Dantsoho added that the government is fully committed to supporting reforms, which are expected to restore investor confidence and reverse decades of vessel and cargo diversion from Nigerian ports.
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