By Onewave Newsroom
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged the Federal Government to decentralise Nigeria’s port infrastructure, saying the concentration of major maritime investments in Lagos undermines national economic growth.
Reacting to the recent approval of ₦1.5 trillion for the modernisation of the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports, Obi described the initiative as commendable but warned that overreliance on Lagos ports limits opportunities for other regions.
In a statement shared via his X (formerly Twitter) handle titled “The Imperative of Diversifying Port Development in Nigeria,” Obi called for an equitable spread of port development to Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne, among others.
“Nigeria’s infrastructure investment remains excessively concentrated in Lagos, often at the expense of other strategic ports,” Obi said. “Fully developing these ports could enhance productivity, drive trade, create jobs, and open new economic corridors that lift millions out of poverty.”
He noted that countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco have achieved stronger trade efficiency by decentralising port operations, ensuring balanced access to economic opportunities nationwide.
Obi added that over 70% of port activities in Nigeria occur in Lagos, leading to congestion, inflated shipping costs, and environmental degradation. He urged policymakers to prioritise port development across other regions to improve logistics and boost regional economies.
“Decentralisation is not just an infrastructural necessity but a national imperative,” Obi stressed. “A truly national blue economy must carry every region along.”
He also called for transparency, technological reform, and stronger anti-corruption measures within the maritime sector to foster efficiency and global competitiveness.
