By Ihechi Enyinnaya
The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has called on the Federal Government to decentralize port development across Nigeria, saying the continued concentration of maritime infrastructure in Lagos limits the nation’s economic potential.
Reacting to the Federal Executive Council’s approval of ₦1.5 trillion for the modernization of the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports—both located in Lagos—Obi argued that a more balanced distribution of port development projects would enhance trade, create jobs, and promote inclusive national growth.
In a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, titled “The Imperative of Diversifying Port Development in Nigeria,” Obi said while the modernization initiative is commendable, it again underscores Nigeria’s overreliance on Lagos as the country’s primary maritime hub.
“Nigeria’s infrastructure investment remains excessively concentrated in Lagos, often at the expense of other strategic ports such as Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne,” Obi wrote. “If fully developed, these ports could enhance productivity, drive trade, create jobs, and open new economic corridors that would lift millions out of poverty across the federation.”
He cited examples from countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Ghana, noting that nations that have embraced port decentralization enjoy greater connectivity, reduced congestion, and balanced economic growth.
“These nations have grasped a simple truth: no country seeking to maximise its blue economy concentrates all maritime activities in a single city,” he said.
Obi warned that over 70 percent of Nigeria’s port activities being concentrated in Lagos contributes to chronic congestion, high demurrage costs, environmental degradation, and logistical inefficiencies that inflate the cost of goods nationwide.
He therefore urged the Federal Government to prioritize the revitalization of other ports—particularly those in Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne—as part of a broader strategy to decongest Lagos and stimulate regional economies.
“Developing other ports is not merely an infrastructural necessity but a national imperative,” Obi stressed. “It would reduce shipping costs, attract investment, create employment, and promote balanced growth.”
The former Anambra State governor also emphasized the need for transparency, accountability, and technological reform in the maritime sector, advocating for a paperless port system that improves turnaround time and global competitiveness.
He concluded by reiterating his call for fairness and equity in