Poor Infrastructure Hindering West African Trade – Truck Transit Park

The managing director of Truck Transit Park Limited (TTP) Jamal Onwubuariri has lamented that infrastructure in Nigeria and across the West African region is not sufficient for the volume of trade in the continent.

Jamal who stated this while speaking at the 2025 Transport Summit organised by the Transport Correspondents Association of Nigeria (TCAN) on the theme; Driving the Transport Logistics Value Chains for Economic Growth,” held in Lagos also stated that the infrastructure and technology deployment at Nigerian ports and border posts are still not sufficient for the volume of cargoes that comes into the country.  To Onwubuariri, there is a need for more investment in infrastructure which could be achieved through private sector involvement.

“Investment in transport infrastructure and technology is crucial to unlocking the full trade potential of Nigeria’s ports and highways and of the countries along the region. Nigeria plays a pivotal role as the biggest cargo destination in West Africa, handling approximately 70 per cent of ECOWAS trade volume. ECOWAS transport infrastructure—especially ports, border crossings, and highway networks is essential for facilitating commerce across the region.

“However, the full potential of these corridors is constrained by persistent infrastructure gaps, limited technology integration, and inefficiencies at the border and ports.”

He continued,  “In July, I took a 6000Km road trip from Nigeria to Liberia, and it enabled me to see what our road transport infrastructure is like, the challenges and the opportunities.”

“We have infrastructure gaps; our roads, both on the border with Nigeria and across the Tocan region, are insufficient for the trade volume. The second challenge is that our ports, in terms of infrastructure and technology deployment, are insufficient. There are a lot of cargoes that come into this region.”

Onwubuariri also stated that port infrastructure, structure, and delays are other challenges apart from challenging infrastructure.

“I saw Nigerian drivers who are driving from Sokoto, taking cargo to either Tema Port or Abidjan port, it could be Tomatoes or yams or onions, and they spend two to three weeks on the roads to deliver these cargoes and return.

“What this means is that they don’t spend quality time with their families, and they don’t have rest areas where they can stop and rest at night.

“In terms of opportunities, technology companies like us can assist the government at border posts and at ports, to put in place technological solutions that would enhance the movement of goods and people.

“We need to invest more in infrastructure, and our government alone cannot take it. There is a lot of money floating around, both informally and formally, private companies can invest in infrastructure, rest stops, and even technology to drive trade and drive investments,” he stated.