IN an ever more complex global maritime milieu, Nigeria’s seaports remain an economic hole largely because of their uncompetitive, backward, corruption-ridden operations. A fresh push by the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise to untangle the turmoil buttresses the entrenched chaos that has defied all the half-hearted solutions being applied. The dysfunctional ports severely inhibit the economy. Therefore, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), should step in decisively.
The global maritime trade is vast, but Nigeria is excluding itself. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, maritime trade volumes expanded by 0.5 per cent in 2019 to reach a total of 11.08 billion tonnes.
After years of promises by successive administrations, Nigeria’s premier seaports in Apapa, Lagos, are still in a shambles. Notorious for delays in clearing cargo, shabby associated road infrastructure, absence of railway, legendary traffic lockdowns, government weakness, corruption and insecurity describe the remiss in detail.
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