*BOAN demands dedicated berthing space, desk in ministry
*Oyetola directs Shippers’ Council to review concerns, submit recommendations

About 69 indigenous barge operators have liquidated their companies, with over N211.9 billion in investments lost due to the harsh business environment in the country, The Guardian has learnt.
  At the first Citizen/Stakeholders Engagement by Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, held in Lagos on April 2, 2026, the Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN) revealed that out of the 83 registered indigenous barge companies, about 14 are still active and struggling to operate, leaving 69 companies out of operation.

 The Guardian gathered that the reason behind this include, multinationals dominance of the local market, regulatory bottlenecks, multiple high charges and tarrif imposed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the terminal operators, lack of berthing spaces at the ports, inadequate access to capital, high bank interest rates for loans, and limited government support, which are pushing local operators out of business.
 Other causes including operation inequalities favouring foreigners over indigenous operators high operating, especially as the business is capital-intensive.

 Financial Secretary and Director of Enforcement and Operations of the Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN), revealed that although 83 indigenous barge companies were registered, only eight remain actively operating.
 Giving a breakdown of the total estimated capital cost of setting up a barge operation in the country, Wagani told The Guardian during a phone interview, that entry into the business is prohibitively expensive as an operator must provide a N50 million to obtain license from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
 He listed other documentation to include, conservancy fee of $1,500 for equipment and tugboat fees of $1,500, totaling $3,000 as well as piloted exemption certificates, tax clearance, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration, audited accounts, and other mandatory certifications.

 Wagani said all these documents costs when estimated together amounts to about N70 million.
 Other additional costs for barge operations, Wagani stated include, about N2 billion to N3 billion for a standard jetty and N1 million per day to rent cranes, which he said further limit participation of indigenous operators.
 The total capital required for the business is estimated at over N3 billion per operator, with 69 firms accounting for about N211.9 billion in investment.

 On where operators source for capital, Wagani said those with significant personal or familial resources establish the business conveniently, while those without, have to source for high interest loans from the banks, who he said later exit the business due to limited operational opportunities and inability to repay the loans.
 Wagani said despite the difficulty in getting capital to set up the business, multinationals further exacerbate the situation by handling the bulk of cargo themselves, leaving small indigenous operators sidelined without contracts.
 He said these operational inequities extend to port access, highlighting the lack of dedicated berthing spaces for local operators, noting that foreigners having vessels with 400 containers often receive priority over those local operators handling 30 to 40 containers, despite paying the same demurrage fees of N130,000 per day.

  Wagani also highlighted the burden of dealing with multiple charges and high tariff from terminal operators and regulatory agencies, including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) as well delayed responses to industry concerns.
 He urged the government to allocate at least one dedicated berthing space for indigenous barges at APM Terminals in Apapa, which initially provided three spaces measuring 1,000 metres.
 Head of Research, Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC), Dr Eugene Nweke, described the barge sector as one of the fastest, scalable and most cost-effective logistics alternatives for cargo evacuation, yet remains largely underutilised and policy-neglected in national transport planning.

 Nweke revealed that inefficiencies in the country’s logistics chain to trade account for between 20 and 30 per cent of cargo value, while port-related delays alone cost the economy between $7 billion and $10 billion yearly.
 He further highlighted that congestion across port corridors continues to exact a heavy toll, with supply chain disruptions exceeding N500 billion each year.
 The SEREC’s chief researcher, noted that despite these losses, Nigeria is yet to fully harness the economic potential of its inland waterways, particularly the barge transport system, which it described as a “neglected N1 trillion opportunity.

 According to Nweke’s estimates, the barge sector is currently operating at just about 30 per cent of its potential capacity, handling between 80 million and 120 million tonnes of cargo yearly.
 He said at optimal levels, the sector could generate between N500 billion and N1 trillion in economic value each year.
 Nweke stressed that improved utilisation of barges could reduce port congestion by 30 to 40 per cent and cut cargo evacuation costs by 20 to 35 per cent, while saving over N200 billion yearly in road maintenance costs.

 Nweke also called for the establishment of a N500 billion National Barge Development Fund, to be driven through a public-private partnership financing model.
 He said the proposed fund would support fleet expansion, terminal development and regulatory improvements, with a target of evacuating at least 50 per cent of cargo through inland waterways within the next five years.
 The BOAN operators also called for the establishment of a Directorate for Barge Operations within the ministry, including the appointment of a Deputy Director to provide a direct point of contact for operators as well as improved allocation of berthing spaces at the ports to level the playing field.

 The barge operators also advocated the enforcement of local content policies, ensuring indigenous operators receive fair opportunities to service multinational shipping lines as well as access to low-interest financing.
 Wagani warned that without immediate reforms, Nigeria risks losing the few remaining indigenous barge operators, undermining local participation in a sector critical to the country’s maritime economy and revenue generation.
 Responding during a stakeholders engagement the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, directed the leadership of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to look into the issues and make appropriate recommendations for the Ministry’s support.