(3 Minutes Read)
Nigeria loses over USD 9bn annually due to underenforcement of the Cabotage Act.
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector have called for the inauguration of a port sector economic task force, warning that continued underenforcement of critical policies is costing the country scarce dollars.
Bolaji Sumola, chairman of the Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC) speaking at a stakeholder meeting on effective implementation of the 10-year national policy on marine and blue economy in Lagos recently, described the situation as “an economic and patriotic emergency.”
Nigeria loses over USD 9bn annually due to underenforcement of the Cabotage Act , he said. He called on the ministry to inaugurate the task force within 60 days that will pilot reforms across both Western and Eastern ports with quarterly reviews and transparent performance metrics.
Sumola also expressed concern over long cargo dwell time at the ports, saying it remains “a major deterrent to trade and a direct cost to the economy.”
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He called for infrastructure upgrades that are smart, green, and accessible, as well as seamless inland connectivity to avoid the congestion trap of the past. The ports consultative council, addressing the issue of human capital development, urged investment in training and career opportunities for dockworkers, seafarers and other marine professionals.
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