Structural neglect of other seaports in Nigeria poses long-term risks to trade efficiency – SEREC

The Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) SEREC has expressed serious concern over the continued structural neglect of other national seaport assets in Nigeria by the Federal Government, a trend, it said, poses long-term risks to trade efficiency, foreign exchange stability, and inclusive economic growth.

The SEREC expressed this concern in a critical review of the Federal Government’s recent port infrastructure financing arrangement supported by UK Export Finance for the Lagos ports alone.

The review is titled: Rebalancing Nigeria’s Maritime Future: Integrating Port Decentralisation into National Reform Agenda Amid Lagos-Centric Investments. It is signed by Fwdr. Eugene Nweke, Rff, Head of Research.

Although admitted that Nigeria’s maritime system remains heavily concentrated in Lagos, which currently accounts for the majority of cargo throughput, SEREC posited that this has caused persistent congestion and logistics inefficiencies, increased cost of imports and exports and overstretching of port and road infrastructure.

In view of this, strategic ports in Port Harcourt, Warri, Calabar and Onne, according to the research centre, remain significantly underutilised due to policy neglect, inadequate infrastructure linkages, and inconsistent investment priorities.

SEREC emphasised that the current port imbalance is not merely a logistics issue, but a macroeconomic concern with direct foreign exchange (FX) implications.

It added that overdependence on Lagos ports drives up import handling costs, encourages congestion-induced inefficiencies, and increases overall demand for foreign exchange.

“Port inefficiency and geographic concentration contribute indirectly to pressure on the Naira and Nigeria’s external reserves.

“The Federal Government’s investment in Lagos port infrastructure—though necessary—reflects a short-term efficiency-driven approach that is inconsistent with broader national objectives of Trade facilitation, Export diversification and Regional economic inclusion.

“Nigeria does not suffer from a lack of port infrastructure, but rather from Poor utilisation, weak coordination, and absence of a unified national port strategy,” said SEREC.

SEREC called for an urgent shift toward a National Port System Strategy, anchored on decentralisation, specialisation, and integration.

Functional Port Specialisation:
Onne – Oil & gas logistics hub
Warri – Industrial and bulk cargo
Calabar – Regional trade gateway
Port Harcourt – General cargo redistribution.

Infrastructure and Connectivity Enhancement:
Expansion of rail links to eastern and northern corridors.
Rehabilitation of access roads to non-Lagos ports.
Integration with inland dry ports.

Incentivised Cargo Diversion Framework
Reduced port charges outside Lagos
Fast-track clearance systems through Nigeria Customs Service
Regulatory incentives for shipping lines.

Alignment with Foreign Exchange Policy:
Reduce logistics-induced import costs
Improve export evacuation efficiency
Strengthen FX inflow generation capacity.

Institutional and Governance Reforms:
Establish a unified port coordination framework
Strengthen inter-agency collaboration
Promote transparency in port investment decisions.

“The continued prioritisation of Lagos ports, to the exclusion of other viable national port assets, reflects a narrow, revenue-driven approach that undermines Nigeria’s long-term trade competitiveness and macroeconomic stability.

“Nigeria stands at a critical juncture in its maritime development. The ongoing port financing initiatives must not be viewed in isolation but as part of a broader national strategy.

“Without deliberate efforts to decentralise and optimise the entire port network, investments—no matter how significant—risk delivering suboptimal economic returns while exacerbating foreign exchange vulnerabilities,” SEREC noted.