The abandoned N6.3 billion Oguta River Port in Imo state and the Baro River Port in Niger state cost the country over two million jobs while stalling the economic growth in the Southeast and Northern regions, an expert has said.
Recall that the Federal Government, last year, said it would revive three moribund river ports valued at about N9.4 billion. But no action has been seen towards their revival.
The N2.74 billion worth of Oguta River Port and N3.56 billion Baro River Port were initiated in 2009 and have remained non-operational. While the Oguta river port project has been abandoned at 61 per cent construction stage, Baro river port was commissioned on paper and still faces infrastructure and equipment challenges, a lack of cargo, the absence of trade routes and inadequate funding for dredging.
The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC) cited the port’s potential to drive economic growth, trade facilitation and create employment in the country’s hinterlands.
The Head of Research at SEREC, Dr Eugene Nweke, said the Oguta port is currently abandoned at its 61 per cent construction stage, but described its strategic location and vast potential as capable of handling over 35 per cent of Nigeria’s maritime business, creating more than two million jobs and stimulating regional economic growth.
Also, industry experts noted that the Baro river port is plagued by infrastructure defects, idle equipment and lack of established trade routes. According to them, investigations have revealed concerns over the defective load-bearing platforms – a stabilised steel plate under the big crane – raising concerns about the overall integrity of the port’s infrastructure, while the absence of integrated waterfront connections limits the port’s ability to transport agricultural products and solid minerals efficiently.
“The port’s infrastructure and equipment are also in disrepair. The lack of land and water access hinders the transportation of goods, while operational equipment, including cargo handling machinery, lies idle due to a lack of maintenance and servicing. This has resulted in significant downtime and reduced the port’s capacity to handle cargo efficiently,” SEREC noted.
Experts further argued that the Baro Port’s management, led solely by civil servants, has failed to optimise operations, recommending private-sector involvement, infrastructure assessments, development of hinterland trade routes, and investment in operational equipment to improve efficiency and productivity.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on the Rehabilitation and Operationalisation of Baro Inland Port, Saidu Abdullahi, expressed disappointment over the deplorable state of roads leading to the project, describing it as a major impediment to the port’s functionality.
The lawmaker, during the committee’s overnight visit to the Port, said that in spite of the enormous potential of the port to boost trade, create jobs and open up the region’s economy, the absence of motorable access roads has left the facility largely idle years after its commissioning.
The Governor of Niger State, Umaru Bago, called for the urgent revival of the river port, describing it as a national project that held the key to easing the heavy burden on Nigeria’s road infrastructure.
Bago said the river port was once central to the Northern Africa trade corridor and strategically linked to the Lagos–Kano–Jibia rail line, which was originally designed to service Baro.
To accelerate Oguta river port development, SEREC proposed that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) collaborate with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to join expertise and experience in managing inland waterways and ports, provide technical assistance in infrastructure development and logistics management and jointly advocate for federal funding and resources to complete the projects.
The centre recommended that both agencies explore a concessioning model to attract private-sector investment and expertise, develop warehouses, storage facilities, and cargo-handling equipment to support the port’s operations, as well as provide regulatory guidance and support to ensure compliance with national and international port standards.
“Developing our ports is critical to driving trade facilitation and regional economic growth. We urge NPA to take a proactive approach to support the development of the Oguta River Port project and unlock its vast potential,” Nweke said
