Nigeria’s maritime sector continues to struggle despite ongoing initiatives to improve safety, security and operational standards. A recent report from the Sea Empowerment Research Centre (RGS) ranks Nigerian ports 183rd out of 185 worldwide, highlighting deep-rooted challenges such as corruption, inefficiency and limited resources that restrict growth and global competitiveness.

According to the Centre’s Head of Research, Eugene Nweke, progress has been made through measures like the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Bill and expanded national maritime surveillance. However, serious obstacles persist — including outdated infrastructure, weak enforcement of regulations and operational delays — all of which remain key barriers as the industry moves into 2024.

Although Nigeria’s merchant fleet ranks 48th globally, it contributes only 1.6 million tons to the international merchant fleet — a sign of the country’s minimal influence in global shipping and the urgent need to strengthen efficiency and competitiveness.

Nweke explained that Nigerian ports suffer from slow import and export processing, unofficial charges, equipment failures and ongoing security threats. Human-related bottlenecks and chronic congestion further disrupt cargo movement, harming reliability and discouraging international shipping operators from using Nigerian ports.

To reverse these trends, Nweke called on the Federal Government to introduce urgent reforms designed to modernize and streamline port operations. This includes major investments in critical infrastructure, enhanced safety systems, stronger regulatory oversight and effective law enforcement. He stressed that regulations must not only exist, but be fully implemented and monitored by a properly resourced industry regulator.

Ultimately, he warned that without decisive action and meaningful reform, Nigeria’s maritime industry will remain uncompetitive on the world stage. Continued neglect could damage not only the sector itself, but also Nigeria’s broader economic future. Immediate steps are required to restore confidence, drive growth and improve the country’s position in global maritime trade.