Blue Economy
African Ports at Risk of Ceding Trade Leverage as Infrastructure Gaps Widen
African Ports at Risk of Ceding Trade Leverage as Infrastructure Gaps Widen
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Reporter
Africa’s ports are sounding alarm bells. From the Gulf of Guinea to the East African coastline, a convergence of ageing infrastructure, foreign operator dominance, escalating climate compliance costs, and a deepening $14 billion investment deficit is threatening to strip the continent of its hard-won leverage in global maritime trade.
Industry leaders, port managers, and maritime economists are increasingly united in their warning: without urgent, strategic investment, Africa could find itself managing cargo for the world while capturing little of the value.
Nigeria at the Centre — But Not Immune
Nigeria sits in a commanding position within West and Central Africa’s maritime landscape. According to Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), Nigeria currently handles more than 70 per cent of cargo traffic across the sub-region — a dominance built on its large population, strategic location, and its role as the gateway for landlocked neighbours including Niger, Chad, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
“Our market extends beyond Nigeria because several landlocked countries depend on Nigerian ports,” Dantsoho said at the close of the PMAWCA Mid-Year Session held in Lagos. “But to sustain that advantage, we must provide deeper waters, stronger quays and modern infrastructure that can accommodate bigger ships.”
Yet that advantage is under threat. Nigeria’s legacy ports — Apapa, Tin Can Island, Onne, Warri, and Calabar — continue to suffer from infrastructural decay, shallow draught limitations, and inefficient cargo evacuation corridors. The average vessel turnaround time at Nigerian ports stands at seven days, against one to two days in developed maritime economies. Regional competitors in Ghana, Togo, and Benin Republic are increasingly exploiting that gap.
Who Owns the Cranes?
Beneath the infrastructure deficit lies a deeper and more complex challenge: the question of who controls Africa’s ports.
Across the continent, ownership of port operations has been consolidating in the hands of a small group of global terminal operators. While African governments generally retain land ownership, the operational levers — and the pricing power that comes with them — are increasingly exercised by foreign firms. Chinese companies, particularly China Merchants Port, have a recurring presence along Africa’s coastline, drawing scrutiny over sovereignty concerns. Yet analysts note the real risk is less about nationality and more about structural dependency.
Once concession contracts are signed and infrastructure committed, African port authorities have limited room to renegotiate. Pricing power, operational standards, and logistics decisions can drift away from local hands — quietly, contractually, and often irreversibly.
The lesson for Nigeria and its neighbours is stark: ports are not merely trade infrastructure. They are leverage points. Ceding their operation without robust regulatory oversight and performance benchmarks is ceding economic sovereignty, one terminal at a time.
The Climate Compliance Trap
Adding urgency to the investment challenge is a wave of new global maritime emissions regulations that risk landing disproportionately on African nations.
At a recent regional workshop in Abuja — described by participants as the first time African countries have coordinated at scale on maritime decarbonisation — experts warned that the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) evolving carbon pricing framework could raise costs for African ports and shipping lines without delivering corresponding climate benefits to the continent.
Africa contributes the least to global maritime emissions yet faces the greatest structural constraints in adapting to new rules. A critical vulnerability: of the 44 African countries that are IMO members, only 18 have ratified the MARPOL Annex VI treaty, meaning most are ineligible to vote on the policies that will govern their ports’ futures.
Omar Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), put the paradox plainly: “Africa contributes the least to global emissions, yet faces the greatest constraints.” He called on policymakers to prioritise port efficiency and trade competitiveness rather than impose compliance burdens that serve distant agendas.
The Shipyard Gap: Revenue Haemorrhage Hiding in Plain Sight
Another dimension of Africa’s eroding maritime leverage rarely makes front-page news: the near-total absence of functional shipyard infrastructure across West Africa.
The African Maritime Council has raised concerns about the scale of maritime revenue leaving the region for repairs, dry-docking, and marine engineering services that African yards cannot yet provide. Despite over 1,200 vessels operating across offshore support, tanker operations, cargo trade, and fishing activities along the Gulf of Guinea, the bulk of ship repair and maintenance spending flows abroad.
This is not a marginal issue. Ship repair activities generate high-value industrial activity — steel fabrication, hull engineering, marine coatings, structural inspections, towage, and port services. Without indigenous shipyard capacity, West Africa is effectively subsidising the maritime industries of Europe and Asia while its own ports handle the traffic.
Lekki and the Road Not Yet Taken
There are reasons for cautious optimism. The Lekki Deep Sea Port, which began operations in 2023, has drawn attention as a model of what is possible when policy intent, private capital, and public infrastructure align. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola has pointed to Lekki as evidence of Africa’s capacity to meet global maritime standards.
Nigeria’s 823-kilometre coastline, extensive inland waterways network, and proximity to major Atlantic shipping routes give it structural advantages that no policy gap can entirely negate. The Federal Government’s ongoing reforms under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy — including the expected activation of the National Single Window for cargo clearance — could, if fully executed, cut average cargo dwell time from over 18 days to under seven.
But Dantsoho’s message at the PMAWCA meetings was sobering: ambition without investment is a promise without a foundation. “No nation can grow its GDP without substantial investment in efficient and modern port infrastructure,” he said. Africa’s ports are not yet lost to foreign operators or obsolescence. But the window for self-determined transformation is narrowing.
What Must Be Done
Regional maritime stakeholders are converging on a common prescription:
Infrastructure first. Deep-water ports, mechanised terminals, and modern quay infrastructure must be fast-tracked across West and Central Africa. Refurbishment of legacy ports is a bridge solution, not an answer.
Stronger concession governance. Public-private partnerships must come with performance benchmarks, transparent pricing oversight, and genuine accountability structures — not just capital inflows and long-term operational handovers.
Regional solidarity at the IMO. African nations must ratify the necessary treaties to claim their voting rights and coordinate a common position on maritime emissions policies before compliance costs are imposed on them without their input.
Invest in shipyards. The West African maritime economy is haemorrhaging industrial revenue that could be captured locally. Establishing viable shipyard hubs — potentially through regional financing under AfCFTA frameworks — would help close this gap.
Harness inland waterways. For Nigeria specifically, the country’s estimated 10,000 kilometres of navigable inland waterways remain vastly underutilised. Greater integration of inland ports and waterway transport with coastal port infrastructure would reduce congestion, lower logistics costs, and extend Nigeria’s maritime advantage deeper into the sub-region.
Africa’s ports handle the continent’s trade. The question is whether Africa will also hold the leverage that comes with it. The answer will not be settled by declarations at summits, but by the investments, regulations, and regional coalitions built — or not built — in the years immediately ahead.
Waterways News covers Nigeria’s maritime, shipping, and inland waterways sectors. Follow us for updates on port policy, blue economy developments, and trade infrastructure across the Gulf of Guinea
$200m Fish Lifeline: FG Taps World Bank Funds to Push States Towards Fish Sufficiency
Oyetola Sets Sights on Net Exporter Status as FG Secures $200m World Bank Backing for State-Led Aquaculture
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News
The Federal Government says it has secured a $200 million commitment from the World Bank Group to drive fisheries and aquaculture production nationwide, as it moves to cut fish imports and close a supply gap of more than 2.2 million tonnes.
The money will be lent to state governments on concessional terms. It is meant to help them expand fish production, attract investment and build viable aquaculture projects.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, announced this at an Executive Training on the Aquaculture Investment Guide, organised by his ministry with the World Bank Group in Abuja. He was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy, Professor Busayo Fakinlede.
Oyetola said fish is central to food security, household nutrition and rural livelihoods, and that Nigeria cannot be food secure while importing most of its fish. He said the goal is to “produce more, import less” and eventually become a net exporter, which he said requires every state to play its part.
The numbers
Nigeria needs about 3.6 million tonnes of fish a year but produces roughly 1.4 million tonnes. Imports cover the gap and cost nearly $1 billion annually in foreign exchange.
State-driven framework
Under the ministry’s framework, each state is expected to:
identify priority aquaculture value chains
assess investment readiness
develop bankable project pipelines
commit to measurable contributions to national fish output
The training brought together commissioners from Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River States, plus permanent secretaries and directors of fisheries and aquaculture from across the federation. It covered business models, risk management, environmental and social safeguards, and public-private partnerships.
A Federal-State interface is also planned to coordinate a national fish security strategy.
Oyetola commended the World Bank for its support on analytical studies, cluster-based development, capacity building and the Aquaculture Investment Guide. He will oversee a post-training stakeholders’ roundtable with states and other stakeholders to sustain momentum.
Ministry’s scorecard
Fakinlede credited the minister’s leadership for:
the August 2026 inauguration of the Technical Committee on Accelerating Fish Production
digitisation of fish import licensing
a rise in national output from 1.1 million to 1.4 million tonnes
US shrimp-export certification after compliance with Turtle Excluder Device requirements
the Fish City and Fish Terminal investment portfolio to attract private capital
NIGERIA WATCH
Read the fine print. As of 9 November, I could not find a published World Bank project document for the $200 million, and the figure rests on the ministry’s statement. The repayment period, interest rate, per-state allocation and disbursement date have not been made public, and it is unclear whether this is new money or part of financing already agreed. Waterways News should press the ministry on these before treating the figure as settled.
Loans, not grants. States carry the debt and must show bankable projects. Strong states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River, whose commissioners attended, sit on the water and are best placed to benefit. Inland and riverine communities lacking project-preparation capacity risk being left behind.
The missing small operators. The framework speaks of investors, PPPs and bankable pipelines. It says little about artisanal fishers, boat operators and fishing communities, including those represented by WABOTAN and ATBOWATON, who supply and move much of the country’s fish. Without cold chains, landing jetties, safe water transport and affordable engines, higher production will not reach markets.
Policy versus delivery. The target is ambitious, with output reportedly up from 1.1 million to 1.4 million tonnes. Yet Nigeria still meets under 40 per cent of its fish demand, and it has heard similar promises before, from the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund onward. The test is whether the roundtable produces dates, allocations and measurable state commitments.
Blue Economy
Oyetola Takes Nigeria’s Case on Gulf of Guinea Security and Seafarer Welfare to IMO Council in London
Oyetola Takes Nigeria’s Case on Gulf of Guinea Security and Seafarer Welfare to IMO Council in London
Minister says seafarers must not become casualties of geopolitical disputes as Nigeria presses for stronger technical support for developing maritime nations
By Ighoyota Onaibre | Waterways News
Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has restated the country’s commitment to safe, secure and sustainable international shipping. He is leading a high-level delegation to the 138th session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council in London.
The five-day session opened on November 2 at the IMO headquarters and ends today, November 6, 2026. Nigeria’s participation is meant to strengthen its voice in global maritime governance and to advance the interests of developing maritime nations.
Nigeria sits on the 40-member Council under Category C. The session is considering the protection of vital shipping routes, the welfare and safety of seafarers, institutional governance and the sustainability of the global maritime industry.
Protecting vital shipping lanes
A central issue is the protection of strategic shipping routes against growing security threats and attacks on commercial vessels in high-risk zones. Under Agenda Item 11, “Protection of Vital Shipping Lanes,” Nigeria is expected to draw on its experience combating piracy and maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea to push for stronger international cooperation and coordinated security responses.
“Nigeria recognises that the challenges confronting the global maritime industry require collective action, stronger international cooperation and effective regulatory frameworks,” Oyetola said. He added that Nigeria was at the Council to see its interests represented and to contribute to solutions that strengthen maritime security, protect seafarers and promote sustainable shipping.
He said the progress made in the Gulf of Guinea showed that maritime insecurity can be tackled “through political commitment, effective coordination and cooperation among regional and international partners.”
Seafarer welfare
Seafarer welfare is also high on the agenda. This follows IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez’s condemnation of the use of seafarers as pawns in geopolitical disputes. Nigeria is backing measures to prevent the arbitrary detention and abandonment of seafarers, and to ensure their fair treatment, safe repatriation and mental well-being.
“Seafarers are the lifeblood of international shipping,” Oyetola said. “Their safety, dignity and welfare must never be compromised by geopolitical tensions.”
Budget and capacity building
The Council is also reviewing financial allocations for the 2026–2027 biennium and strategic priorities for 2028–2029. Nigeria sees this as an opening to push for more technical cooperation and capacity-building support for developing maritime countries.
Oyetola said developing maritime nations “must have access to the technical expertise, institutional support and investment opportunities required to participate meaningfully in the evolving global shipping industry.”
The delegation
The minister is accompanied by:
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs. Fatima Mahmood
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola
The Director of Maritime Services, Mr. Oyinloye Meshack
Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative at the IMO, Mr. William Bwala
Nigeria Watch
A heavy session. The Council has dealt with more than Nigeria’s agenda this week. Other delegations have also pressed seafarer protection and freedom of navigation, with Liberia and Indonesia among the countries that raised them. The session has also given attention to security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea. On Wednesday, the Council recommended a second four-year term for Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, running from 2028 to 2031. The IMO Assembly must still approve it in 2027. Nigeria’s message on the Gulf of Guinea has been delivered in a crowded room.
Hormuz is a Nigerian issue. This newsroom has followed the Strait of Hormuz crisis closely, from rising freight rates to war-risk insurance premiums at Nigerian ports. Oyetola’s call to shield seafarers from geopolitical tension is not abstract. Dominguez has said thousands of seafarers in the region live and work under heightened risk, and the IMO’s tally of seafarers killed in the region since February stood at 24 as of November 5.
Where the Gulf of Guinea story stands. Nigeria is presenting its Gulf of Guinea record as a model, and the Deep Blue Project is the backbone of that claim. NIMASA has just showcased upgraded assets at AFRIDEX 2026. Delegates in London will weigh the narrative against what stakeholders at home actually experience on the water.
The home test. Nigeria’s arguments at the IMO for seafarer dignity, fair treatment and capacity-building support will carry weight in proportion to how well they are matched at home.
Questions that Waterways News continues to raise:
Do Nigerian seafarers and inland waterway workers enjoy the safety and welfare standards the minister is championing abroad?
Will the technical cooperation Nigeria is seeking reach small-scale and informal waterway operators, such as those under WABOTAN and ATBOWATON, or stay at the policy level?
With Nigeria holding a Council seat, how will diplomatic wins in London be turned into delivery at home, from CVFF disbursement to NPERA implementation?
Waterways News will keep tracking the outcome of the 138th Council session and what it means for Nigerian maritime stakeholders.
Blue Economy
NIWA Deploys Enforcers to Niger Waterfronts as Boat Operators Cry Out Over Life Jacket Shortage
NIWA Deploys Enforcers to Niger Waterfronts as Boat Operators Cry Out Over Life Jacket Shortage
Operators say a 300-seater has only seven jackets, and ask for prices to drop from N20,000 to as low as N5,000
By Raymond Gold | Waterways News
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has sent enforcement personnel to waterfronts across Niger State to make life jacket use compulsory and ensure compliance with inland waterways safety rules.
NIWA’s Minna Area Manager, Akapo Adeboye, announced this at the 2026 Sensitisation and Enlightenment Campaign on Inland Waterways Regulations at Zumba Waterfront, Shiroro Local Government Area. The campaign theme was “Total Safety Measures and Compliance on the Nation’s Inland Waterways.”
Adeboye said NIWA has given 3,500 life jackets to boat operators at waterfronts across the state. He was troubled, however, that some operators neither wear the jackets nor provide them for passengers during trips.
He also condemned operators who charge passengers extra to use a life jacket, saying this discourages compliance. He said the safety of lives and property remains a priority of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and that operators and passengers alike must wear life jackets before boarding. Violators, he warned, will face the full weight of the law.
Some operators at the event said scarcity and cost make full compliance impossible.
Adamu Gunduma said his boat carries 300 passengers but he has seven life jackets, one of them for himself. The other six go to passengers on a first-come, first-served basis.
Adamu Tanko said his 150-passenger boat has three life jackets.
Saidu Sani said his 40-passenger boat has none, for himself or his passengers.
Abubakar Mamman-Kwanu appealed to government and other stakeholders for more jackets through donations and support programmes.
The operators said a life jacket costs about N20,000 on the market and asked authorities to bring the price down to between N5,000 and N6,000. They added that high prices and falling farm-produce prices could keep many farmers from buying one. Farmers, they said, make up a large share of water transport users in the area. They called for stronger government intervention, arguing that easier access to life jackets would improve compliance and prevent avoidable deaths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) first reported the development on Monday.
Nigeria Watch
Enforcement is arriving before supply. Gunduma, Tanko and Sani together operate boats licensed for 490 passengers, yet they reported 10 life jackets between them. Telling such operators to refuse boarding without a jacket is, for now, an order they cannot obey. Cheap jackets must reach waterfronts before penalties are enforced, or enforcement will fall hardest on the poorest operators.
NIWA has also faced a misuse problem. Adeboye said in an earlier interview that people sell the jackets, use them as pillows or farm tools. He said that when his team revisited a waterfront after a 3,500-jacket flag-off, they could not find one in use. Both complaints can be true at once, and the way out is a mix of local ownership, fitting by boat capacity and visible checks by marshals.
The stakes are real and well documented. After a July 2025 mishap at Zumba, Adeboye said 26 passengers wearing life jackets were rescued alive, 15 bodies were recovered and three people were missing. He noted that the incident came eight days after a NIWA sensitization campaign at the same waterfront.
Marshals and penalties are already in place. Waterways marshals were inaugurated at Zumba to enforce transport regulations. Adeboye has also said NIWA gazetted penalty codes for operators and passengers who fail to comply. The open question is whether operators get realistic access to compliance before sanctions bite.
Questions for NIWA and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy:
How many jackets are needed to cover the licensed capacity of boats at Niger waterfronts, against the 3,500 supplied?
Can bulk procurement or local assembly bring the N20,000 price down?
Will NIWA publish compliance figures and sanctions issued after the campaign?
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