The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has described the ongoing revitalisation of Warri and Koko ports in Delta State as a profound act of nation-building that promises to decentralise economic opportunity and weave a more inclusive map of national prosperity.
In a policy document seen by The Guardian, the NPA noted that the strategic development of the Delta ports is actively “scripting a new chapter, one where opportunity flows eastward and northward.”
It emphasised that “this is how Nigeria builds not just ports but equity,” framing the initiative as a core component of sustainable economic development and regional balance.
The NPA said the logic behind this geographical shift is “unassailable,” pointing out that the chronic congestion in Lagos ports has “inflated logistics costs and dimmed Nigeria’s competitiveness,” whereas the Delta ports are “strategically positioned to serve the South-South, Southeast, and North Central regions with natural ease.”
“The NPA’s ‘Atlantic Gambit’ is proving to be a masterstroke in economic planning. By transforming the Delta’s waterways into corridors of commerce, Nigeria is not just decongesting Lagos; it is decentralising opportunity and building a maritime nation where every shoreline counts and every community participates in the story of national renewal,” said a senior manager at the Authority, who pleaded for anonymity.
Findings by The Guardian showed that the economic impact of the revitalisation was already being quantified. The NPA’s operational statistics revealed that the Delta ports had handled 293,013 metric tonnes of cargo, accounting for 10.7 per cent of the nation’s trade volume — a share that is expected to grow significantly.
Underpinning this growth is a robust public-private partnership model. The Landlord Port Model allows the NPA to retain regulatory oversight while concessionaires like Associated Maritime Services bring the capital and efficiency needed for world-class operations.
It was also discovered that the Authority’s commitment has moved beyond rhetoric to substantial investment. The dredging of the Escravos Channel, the construction of modern signal stations, and the deployment of the security vessel SPB Likoro are all cited as concrete steps that have converted “scepticism into certainty.”
The NPA senior manager explained: “Each dredged channel and reconstructed quay is an act of faith in Nigeria’s capacity to rise to global standards, to move from rhetoric to results, and to transform geography into opportunity.”
The source emphasised that the revitalised port complex is seen as a catalyst that will “stimulate the blue economy, support fisheries and aquaculture, attract tourism, and power ancillary logistics services.”
According to him, the NPA has learned that physical infrastructure alone is insufficient.
“Steady collaboration remains the golden thread binding this vision together,” he said, pointing to the Authority’s successful engagement with traditional rulers and local communities.
“When community leaders see the port as a partner, the cranes rise without disruption,” he noted, highlighting how social licence has become a critical component of the project’s success.
The NPA is also rebuilding investor confidence through transparency and data-driven decision-making. This has repositioned it as “both a maritime authority and a development catalyst” making the Delta ports a magnet for new investment.
The ultimate goal, as articulated by the Authority, is to build a resilient and diversified maritime network. “Warri and Koko are no longer fallback options; they are front-runners” ensuring Nigeria’s trade is no longer vulnerable to disruption at a single point.
