The much awaited revitalization of the nation’s seaports situated in the Eastern part of the country has begun with the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) stepping up efforts to boost their activities.
Popularly called Eastern Ports according to the Federal Government categorization of the nation’s seaports, these ports include the ones located in the Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt; Onne Port Complex, Onne, Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State; Warri and Koko Ports, Delta State; and Calabar Port, Cross River State.
Maritime Bits checks revealed that while these ports are virtually idle, the ones in Lagos are bedeviled with congestion and high cargo dwell time (CDT) resulting in the high prices of goods and services.
It on record that Lagos ports handled more than 90 per cent of Nigeria’s maritime traffic, leaving the Eastern ports underutilised due to shallow drafts, and poor infrastructure and the absence of the political will to strictly implement government policies by successive administrations.
The Managing Director, NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho has since his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) stressed the need to revitalize the nation’s Eastern ports in a bid to decongest Lagos and strengthen Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Already, he has introduced a series of reforms covering tariffs, infrastructure rehabilitation, security, and strategic partnerships to reposition the ports of Onne, Port Harcourt, Warri, and Calabar.
Dantsoho who had hitherto worked in one of the Eastern ports, Onne Port Complex where he was the Port Manager have made some strides since he emergence as the helmsman of the multi-billion naira government agency.
According to him, on July 31, 2025 when the Nigerian-owned MV Ocean Dragon with a capacity of 349 TEUs berthed at Onne’s West African Container Terminal (WACT). The vessel is expected to ply routes within West, Central, and Southern Africa.
Similarly, in March 2025 NPA rolled out new tariffs designed to reflect operational realities while maintaining competitiveness. It must be noted that the move is tied to NPA 25-year master plan which prioritises automation, cyber security, and environmentally sustainable operations.
In the same vein, shipping services at the Eastern ports have also expanded as Hapag-Lloyd had not long ago launched a weekly service at Onne, linking the region to international trade routes. Besides these services, the management of NPA is also working with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to implement 24-hour operations.
Though it is not a new idea, Dantsoho is said to have resolved to make a difference this time by ensuring that there is a drastic reduction in CDT and the diversion of cargo to ports situated in neighbouring countries, especially the Republic of Benin, Togo and Ghana.
Some of Dantsoho’s efforts have started showing tangible results as official records have revealed rising activities in the ports situated in the East.
For instance, service boat Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) increased by 129.3 per cent to 4.58 million tons in 2024 just as some stakeholders doing business in the area such as Indorama have also reported increased export volumes.
Maritime Bits checks revealed that not less than ₦1.28 trillion was projected as revenue by NPA for 2025 compared to the ₦894.86 billion generated in 2024.
It also secured $1.1 billion for rehabilitation projects covering Onne, Rivers, Warri, and Calabar ports. At Onne, a $2.9 billion expansion project is in progress, with 62 per cent of Terminal B (Berths 7 and 8) already completed through a partnership with West African Container Terminal Nigeria Limited. Dredging and rehabilitation works are ongoing at Calabar and Warri to improve vessel access.
Similarly, NPA has deployed new harbour crafts in the area. These include two 80-tonne Bollard Pull tugboats, the first of their kind in African continent. It also replicated the electronic call up system popularly called Eto in Lagos ports in the Eastern ports. Export Processing Terminals have also been put in place. Not a few port users have testified to the usefulness and efficiency of these initiatives by NPA.
In addition, security patrols and navigational aids have been reinforced at Warri and Calabar pilotage districts even as tariff rebates and terminal concessions have been introduced to attract port users.
According to NPA, these measures are expected to ease cargo movement for manufacturers in Aba, Abia State traders in Onitsha, Anambra State and other industrial clusters in the South-East and North-Central geo-political zones.
It is on record that port users in these geo-political zones have for decades depended on the nations seaports located in Lagos for their imports and exports of cargoes. Not a few stakeholders are looking forward to the much awaited turn around in the fortunes of the Eastern ports.
