Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, has called for the decentralisation of port services to stimulate broader economic development, noting that over-reliance on the Apapa Port in Lagos has hindered the growth of Nigeria’s maritime potential.
He said during an interview on ADBN Television on Friday, saying the South-South region is the natural hub of Nigeria’s blue economy as all states in the region are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.
While advising that strategic investments in port infrastructure would significantly enhance national development, create jobs and strengthen the country’s maritime logistics framework, he emphasised that revamping and expanding more ports across Nigeria is essential to unlocking the full potential of the country’s blue economy.
Aniagwu urged the federal government to harness the vast economic potential of the nation’s aquatic resources, particularly in the Niger Delta region, to drive national growth.
He stressed the need to fully develop and maximise the existing ports in the Niger Delta region including Warri, Koko, Sapele and Burutu in Delta State; the Ibom Deep Seaport in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State; Onne Port in Rivers and the Calabar Port in Cross River, as viable alternatives to Lagos ports.
Aniagwu also advocated the establishment of a functional port in Lokoja and the dredging of the River Niger to allow larger vessels to berth there.
This, he said, would ease cargo movement to the Middle Belt and other parts of Northern Nigeria and reduce dependence on the congested Apapa Port.
“Reviving and expanding these ports will allow Nigeria to participate more competitively in the global maritime economy. It will also diversify our national revenue streams and reduce our over-reliance on oil,” he said.
He recalled that experts have long advocated for investment in modern port infrastructure, adding that a well-equipped port system is crucial for efficient import and export activities.
