Nigeria needs efficient deep seaport, Customs agents say

Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi….Photo Credit: NCS

The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents has urged the Federal Government to focus on developing an efficient deep seaport capable of handling the country’s cargo and transshipment business, adding that Nigeria does not need too many seaports.

The National President of the NCMDLCA, Lucky Amiwero, stated this in Lagos on Monday while speaking during an event to mark his 73rd birthday. Amiwero said the proliferation of seaports without adequate infrastructure and cargo destinations was contributing to inefficiencies in the nation’s maritime sector.

He called for the establishment of a committee of maritime experts to review the country’s entire port system, including the Lagos Port Complex, Tincan Island Port, Lekki Deep Sea Port, and Calabar Port.

Amiwero said the review was necessary to address the challenges confronting the ports and develop a system that would enable Nigeria to compete effectively with other countries in the West and Central African sub-region.

“There is a need for us to really set up a committee to look at the whole thing, Lekki Deep Sea Port, Apapa Port, Tincan, Calabar Port, so that we can redesign our port system,” he said.

Amiwero said Nigeria was losing transit and transshipment cargo to neighbouring countries, including Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic, and Cote d’Ivoire.

He said the country had a large share of cargo within the West and Central African sub-region but was not benefiting adequately because of inefficiencies in its port system. “We have almost 78 per cent of the cargo within the West and Central African sub-region. Where are we benefiting? We have a lot of ports,” he said.

Comparing Nigeria’s port system with that of Ghana, Amiwero said the West African country had fewer ports but was attracting cargo because of efficiency. “How many ports does Ghana have? Just one. The other one is a fish port. Their throughput is higher than Nigeria’s because of efficiency,” he said.

He argued that Nigeria should concentrate on developing one major deep seaport that could serve as a transshipment and load centre, rather than establishing several ports that lack the infrastructure and cargo to operate efficiently.

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“You don’t build seaports; in a country like Nigeria, you only need one seaport. One deep seaport, which is a transshipment centre, a load centre, so that seaport can now accommodate Nigerian goods,” he said.

Amiwero also raised concerns about the infrastructure at the Lekki Deep Seaport, particularly its rail connectivity and capacity to handle the largest container vessels. He said Nigeria needed to engage professionals and maritime experts, rather than politicians, in addressing the challenges facing the port industry.

“We must bring in experts, not politicians, to change the narrative of the port industry. Our port is suffering because of a lack of procedures that are not properly enhanced,” he said.

The NCMDLCA president also advocated increased transshipment activities at Nigerian ports, saying the country would benefit economically from attracting mother vessels.

He said the failure to attract such vessels meant Nigeria was losing the associated freight and other economic benefits to neighbouring countries. “Which of the countries benefits from the mother vessels? Togo, Benin Republic, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire,” he said.

Amiwero further criticised what he described as political interference in port and customs operations, urging the government to ensure that the maritime sector was administered according to clear laws and professional standards.

He also called for clarity on port concession and lease arrangements, particularly where agreements had expired. According to him, Nigeria must harmonise the activities of relevant stakeholders and develop a legally grounded framework for managing the country’s ports.

He said the concentration of cargo in Lagos was also linked to the location of major manufacturing companies and markets, arguing that simply developing ports in other parts of the country would not guarantee cargo unless there were industries and destinations to support them.

“Lagos is the market. You have the manufacturing sectors here. Most of the companies you are talking about are here,” he said.