Port Operations At Risk As NPA Revenue Deductions Bite, Union Raises Alarm

Port operations across the country may be increasingly threatened by revenue deductions from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Maritime Branch, has warned.

The union said the continuous deductions from the NPA’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) have left the authority with inadequate funds to maintain critical port infrastructure, provide essential services to vessels and meet its financial obligations.

Speaking at the 53rd Joint Consultative Council (JCC) meeting in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, President of the SSASCGOC Maritime Branch, Comrade Akinola Bodunde, described the situation as a threat to the survival of the NPA.

“The continuous starvation of funds resulting from various policy interventions is a catastrophic trend threatening the survival of the Nigerian Ports Authority,” Bodunde said.

According to him, the NPA was able to access only about 29 per cent of its revenue in 2025, despite earlier assurances of a more favourable revenue-sharing arrangement.

Bodunde said the union was demanding that the NPA be allowed to retain 70 per cent of its IGR, arguing that the existing 70:30 arrangement in favour of the Federal Government was leaving the authority financially constrained.

He stressed that the NPA needed a sufficient share of its internally generated revenue to discharge its statutory responsibilities and sustain efficient port operations.

The union president also raised concerns over fresh deductions linked to the NPA’s equity contribution to the Port Modernisation Project.

He said the deductions were being made from an already depleted revenue base, thereby putting additional pressure on the authority’s ability to fund its operations and cater to the welfare of its workforce.

Bodunde noted that the financial pressure was already affecting staff welfare and other operational activities, pointing out that the NPA also bears substantial day-to-day costs, including the cost of powering generators across the ports.

He warned that continued financial pressure on the authority could have wider implications for port operations and the economy.

The union therefore called on the Federal Government to urgently review the revenue allocation arrangement and ensure that the NPA retains adequate funds to perform its statutory functions.

Bodunde warned that failure to address the concerns raised by the union could lead to industrial action.

“We are left with no option but to proceed with industrial action,” he warned.

He, however, said discussions with the government would continue in a bid to resolve the issues and preserve the existence and effectiveness of the NPA.

Bodunde said the union remained committed to constructive engagement with the government, stressing that the objective was to ensure that the NPA had the financial capacity required to sustain its operations.

Speaking on the 53rd JCC forum, Bodunde also commended the management of the NPA for its support since the inception of the consultative platform.

He praised the relationship between management and the union, describing the cooperation as important to the continued progress of the authority.