Former President Goodluck Jonathan decried the absence of a thorough investigation into the collapse of the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) and its 27 vessels.

He said the failure of the national carrier and its 27 vessels remains one of the country’s unresolved economic questions, noting that during his tenure in office, attempts to probe the circumstances surrounding the shipping line’s decline were stalled due to resistance from vested interests.

Jonathan stated this yesterday at the International Deep Seaport Investment Forum held in Lagos.

He recalled discussions with stakeholders, including an ex-chairman of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Bode George, on the issue, saying: “There has never been a proper investigation into why these national enterprises went down.”

Jonathan stressed that preliminary accounts suggested that Nigeria may have taken costly strategic missteps during a critical transition period in global shipping.

According to him, while the world was shifting from conventional cargo handling to containerised shipping and deeper-draft vessels, Nigeria invested heavily in 27 outdated vessels that were being phased out internationally.

NNSL was liquidated in 1995 and sold with its vessels.

The former president explained that the mismatch between investment decisions and global industry trends may have significantly weakened the viability of the national carrier, ultimately contributing to its collapse.

He noted that, although the account was not fully verified, it pointed to deeper structural and policy failures that must be examined to avoid repeating similar mistakes.

Jonathan warned that the lessons from the collapse of the national shipping line remain relevant as Nigeria seeks to reposition its maritime sector, particularly in the face of changing global shipping standards.

He advocated renewed efforts to critically assess past decisions and ensure that future investments in maritime infrastructure and operations are aligned with global realities.

Jonathan noted that without such reflection, Nigeria risks, once again, falling behind in international shipping, with potential consequences for trade competitiveness and economic growth, especially as cargo is being transhippped from neighbouring countries.