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Nigeria’s massive cargo base may no longer be enough to guarantee its dominance in West Africa’s maritime trade as policy uncertainty, weak compliance, inadequate equipment and port-related costs continue to undermine the competitiveness of its ports.
This was the warning from maritime stakeholders ahead of the 2026 Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL), to be organised by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), with the theme, “Nigeria Ports Modernisation, Charges and the Competitiveness Question.”
Former Acting President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr Kayode Farinto, said Nigeria’s market size and cargo volume remain major advantages but argued that policy reforms are urgently required to prevent neighbouring ports from becoming more attractive to users.
Comparing Nigeria with Cotonou, Farinto said importers using the Benin port benefit from more favourable storage and demurrage arrangements, including waivers that give them additional time before charges accumulate.
“In Cotonou, there are storages and demurrages. Demurrages is encouraging. They give waiver. They give one a four days before your demurrages continue to accrue,” he said.
He observed that Nigeria’s huge market is the major reason its ports continue to perform strongly despite the challenges, but warned that government must create a more predictable business environment.
Farinto also identified inadequate investment in cargo-handling equipment as a major constraint, blaming uncertainty over the renewal of terminal concession agreements for discouraging operators from committing to new equipment.
“The government should renew the concession agreement of the various terminal operators. It is keeping us in abeyance. It is making the terminal operators not want to invest in equipment purchase,” he said.
Founder and Principal Consultant of International Trade Advisory Services Limited (ITASL), Okey Ibeke, however, offered a more fundamental diagnosis, declaring that Nigerian ports are currently uncompetitive when measured against neighbouring ports.
Ibeke acknowledged ongoing efforts to modernise cargo clearance, including Customs automation, but said reforms continue to face resistance from vested interests and poor compliance.
He cited persistent problems on the port access roads, alleging that individuals benefiting from illegal collections and the disorder there have frustrated government efforts to improve access.
Ibeke also identified importer compliance as a major weakness, accusing some importers of wrong classification, undervaluation and concealment.
“While automation can work, if the compliance level does not increase, it would frustrate the whole system,” he said.
According to him, automation in advanced economies is primarily designed to strengthen security and facilitate trade, rather than serve as a revenue-collection mechanism.
He urged the National Orientation Agency to educate importers on the need for genuine declarations, arguing that poor compliance creates opportunities for security agencies and other actors to exploit the system.
Noting that similar challenges exist at Cotonou and Lomé, Ibeke noted that the enforcement regime is stricter as false declarations could result in outright cargo seizure in those ports, whereas Nigeria Customs may issue Debit Notes allowing importers to settle duty shortfalls.
“There is need for attitudinal change in Nigerian ports, corruption has now become a norm,” he posited.
He warned that aggressive enforcement could also trigger resistance from importers and create congestion, leaving Customs caught between enforcing compliance and facilitating trade.
The views of the two stakeholders underscore the structural challenges confronting Nigeria’s port competitiveness. While the country retains an overwhelming market and cargo advantage, stakeholders say regulatory uncertainty, port charges, inadequate equipment, weak compliance, corruption and enforcement gaps could erode that advantage.
These issues are expected to take centre stage at MAMAL 2026 as industry stakeholders examine how port modernisation and charges can determine Nigeria’s competitiveness in the West African maritime market.
