The Federal Authorities has been urged to implement reforms that will improve the effectivity and competitiveness of Nigerian ports, as that is vital to enhancing the trade’s world rating.
The Sea Empowerment Analysis Centre (RGS), in its New Yr bulletin signed by its Head of Analysis, Eugene Nweke, mentioned that regardless of ongoing efforts, the Nigerian maritime trade confronted vital challenges, together with corruption, inefficiency, and restricted assets in the course of the yr.
He mentioned to maneuver ahead; the federal government must pay extra consideration to the maritime sector and its affairs to spice up the economic system.
“This may be achieved by intentionally investing in infrastructure, together with ports and terminals, and enhancing security and safety measures.
“The federal government additionally wants to handle the difficulty of regulatory compliance and make sure that rules are enforced constantly and effectively. On this occasion, the funding of the newly strengthened trade financial regulator by the federal government can’t be overemphasized,” it said.
Though, it famous that the trade recorded vital development with Nigeria being a serious oil-producing and exporting nation, the report said that insufficient funding on infrastructure and operational services together with ports, harbours, and terminals, is a major problem that must be addressed.
“Like in earlier years, the trade additionally confronted environmental challenges in 2024, together with marine air pollution which has triggered degradation to the atmosphere and its ecosystem.
“Moreover, the trade faces challenges associated to regulatory compliance, with inconsistent enforcement of rules and bureaucratic inefficiencies hindering efficient maritime operations and funding.
“Stakeholders are in excessive spirit that with the repeal of the Nigeria Shippers Council Act of 1979, and passage and subsequent enactment of the Act, the metamorphosed physique will present the specified and requisite financial and central regulatory features and adequately fill on this omitted hole, which was missing pre and publish ports concessions in 2006.
“The scarcity of expert workforce, together with seafarers, marine engineers, and consultants in maritime logistics and administration, can be a major problem.”
“As noticed, inner politics, avoidable distractions and lips service was widespread scenes on this sector, whereas concern on the dearth within the workforce age, which isn’t hiding its close to penalties, continues to develop.
“Sadly, this sector (seafaring marine engineers and marine & logistics consultants) is the primary trade cooking pots that ensures trade development and sustainability. Additionally, famous right here, is the problem occasioned by poor mentorship (an everlasting trade human capability re-engineering) programme,” it said.
Noting that world port rating by World Financial institution’s Buying and selling Throughout Border indicator positioned Nigeria’s ports 183rd out of 185 international locations by way of effectivity, the report said that: “This rating was as a consequence of varied challenges similar to delay of import/export processes, unofficial fees, human interface, technical breakdown, and safety issues which can be prevalent in Nigerian ports.
“Thus, whereas port predictability and competitiveness seems a foul cry, the port’s supply corridors are additionally bedeviled by human barrier components, impeding the fluidity of immediate cargo supply.
“Certainly, this world rating is kind of a testimonial, constituting and pointing at how our maritime trade fared in 2024,” it said.
Lamenting the pains of excessive overseas trade charge on delivery enterprise, the report said that the Nigerian authorities must take pressing steps to handle the difficulty of the unregulated overseas trade charge and supply a secure and predictable atmosphere for traders to function in.
“Presently, the port import throughput is on the downward indicators, ship calls to the port additionally on downward indicator compared by the earlier yr’s report,” it said.
It, subsequently, enjoined the federal government to work in direction of making a extra beneficial enterprise atmosphere with a secure and predictable overseas trade charge to draw investments and stimulate development within the maritime sector.
