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The Trucks Choke on Nigeria’s Ports: The Case for an Intermodal Transport Revolution
The Trucks Choke on Nigeria’s Ports: The Case for an Inter-modal Transport Revolution
By Raymond Gold Co-publisher and Research Reporter| Waterways News | Lagos
Nigeria is sitting on one of Africa’s most expansive inland waterway networks — yet barges carry barely seven per cent of the cargo moving in and out of its seaports, while trucks haul more than 90 per cent. That glaring imbalance is now costing the country billions of naira annually in congestion losses, road deterioration and eroded trade competitiveness.
The scale of the missed opportunity is thrown into sharp relief by the Nigerian Ports Authority’s 2025 Operational Performance Report, which showed cargo throughput surging by 24.8 per cent last year, with container traffic rising 25.7 per cent to surpass 2.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The boom in maritime trade has piled even more pressure onto an already overstretched road network — with trucks bearing virtually the entire burden of moving cargo to and from the ports.
A Structurally Broken System
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has long advocated seamless integration of inland waterways, rail and road transport as the gold standard for port efficiency and hinterland connectivity. Nigeria’s reality falls far short of that vision.
Industry data compiled by the Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC) paints a stark picture: between 90 and 95 per cent of port cargo leaves by road, seven per cent via barge, and just five per cent by rail. The result, SEREC warns, is chronic port congestion, inflated logistics costs, rapid road degradation and a steady loss of regional trade competitiveness.
“An efficient intermodal transport system is critical to maritime trade facilitation, economic growth, and regional competitiveness,” said Dr Eugene Nweke, Head of Research at SEREC, in a policy advisory paper titled Reviving Nigeria’s Intermodal Transport System for Efficient Maritime Trade. “In Nigeria, however, the disconnect between seaports and inland logistics networks continues to undermine trade efficiency.”
The problem is structural. Nigeria’s three busiest cargo gateways — Lekki Port (40.6 per cent of national throughput), Apapa Port (26.7 per cent) and Onne Port (19.1 per cent) — have no functional rail connections. Even at Apapa, where a rail line exists, the overwhelming bulk of cargo evacuation still happens by road. Inland waterways, despite Nigeria’s vast potential, remain largely untapped.
The Waterways Opportunity
Nigeria’s waterway network links approximately 22 states — a natural freight corridor that remains almost entirely idle for commercial cargo movement. The Sunday Ademuyiwa, Director of International Trade at the Maritime Researchers and Authors Association of Nigeria (MARASSON), says this is a strategic asset that the country is squandering.
“Given Nigeria’s heavy dependence on maritime imports, improving intermodal connectivity is essential to unlocking economic growth,” Ademuyiwa said. “Inland waterways, which could serve as a viable alternative for cargo movement, remain largely underutilised despite Nigeria’s vast potential. With about 22 states interconnected by waterways, improved investment in water transport could ease pressure on roads and enhance logistics nationwide.”
He warned that persistent port congestion delays shipments, drives up logistics costs and disrupts supply chains — with cascading consequences for businesses and consumers across the country.
The Cost of Inaction
The economic toll is significant. SEREC estimates that high inland transport costs inflate commodity prices, reduce Nigeria’s export competitiveness and are increasingly driving cargo diversion to neighbouring ports with better logistics infrastructure. Nigeria, the research centre warns, is losing billions of naira annually to inefficiencies and delays.
Haruna Omolajomo, Managing Director of HARSECOM Logistics Limited, points out that Apapa and Tincan Island ports together handle over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s imports and exports, generating more than N5 trillion in annual Customs revenue. Yet investment in the infrastructure serving these ports has failed to keep pace.
Trucks returning empty containers to the port spillover into the roads in Lagos
“This is very sad,” Omolajomo said. “With these finances, the federal government is still finding it difficult to take even N1 trillion to improve its infrastructure.”
What Must Change
Experts are calling for a phased multimodal reform agenda. SEREC recommends that immediate action — within three years — should include mandatory rail connectivity to all major ports, targeted incentives to grow barge operations on Nigeria’s inland waterways, and the activation and integration of inland dry ports.
Over the medium term (three to seven years), the recommendations include liberalising rail freight, implementing a national single window logistics system, and developing integrated cargo corridors. The long-term goal is a fundamental rebalancing of Nigeria’s freight modal split: 50–60 per cent road, 25–30 per cent rail, and 15–20 per cent waterways.
Crucially, realising the waterways component of that ambition will require urgent action on safety and security. Omolajomo says the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) must step up patrols and enforce order on Nigeria’s waterways to make barge operations viable for commercial cargo.
“The railway system must be revamped to connect all ports in Nigeria to stimulate a multimodal transport system,” he said. “The same applies to the use of standard barges and tugboats. Security must be provided by NIWA and NIMASA to make our waterways safe and secure. Maritime regulators must do their jobs adequately.”
The Bottom Line
Nigeria cannot afford to keep ignoring its rivers and creeks while trucks gridlock its ports and grind down its roads. With cargo volumes growing year on year and regional competitors investing heavily in multimodal logistics, the window to act is narrowing. The waterways are there — what is missing is the political will and coordinated investment to put them to work.
Raymond Gold is Co-publisher and Research Reporter at Waterways News, Lagos.
Blog
U.S. Marks National Maritime Day with Federal Ceremonies, Port Events, and Historic Naval Review
U.S. Marks National Maritime Day with Federal Ceremonies, Port Events, and Historic Naval Review
As America turns 250, the annual observance takes on special significance with tall ships, international fleets, and a sweeping celebration of maritime heritage
By Oghenewoke Osaweren | Waterway News Correspondent | May 22, 2026
The United States on Friday observed its annual National Maritime Day, honouring the nation’s Merchant Marine, the civilian mariners who have powered American commerce and supported its military since the republic’s founding — an occasion that this year carries extraordinary weight as the country simultaneously marks its 250th anniversary.
Held every year on May 22, the observance is not a federal public holiday — government offices and businesses remain open — but it draws significant participation from federal agencies, port authorities, industry associations, and maritime communities across the country.
Federal Government Leads Official Proceedings
The Maritime Administration (MARAD), the federal body that oversees U.S. maritime policy and the Merchant Marine, opened the day with its official National Maritime Day Celebration, the flagship federal event anchoring the observance.
Later in the evening, the Propeller Club of Washington, D.C. hosted a reception at the Hart Senate Office Building, beginning at 5:30 PM. The event brought together maritime industry professionals, lawmakers, and stakeholders to recognise contributions to U.S. maritime heritage and sustain dialogue between the industry and the legislative community.
Separately, the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) convened its annual Safety at Sea Seminar, where attention centred on maritime safety protocols, search-and-rescue operations at sea, and the protection of the marine environment. The event also featured the prestigious AMVER/Benkert Awards, which recognise outstanding contributions to saving lives at sea.
Galveston Opens Its Ports to the Public
On the Gulf Coast, the Port of Galveston, Texas, staged a free public event at Cruise Terminal 16 between 8:30 AM and 11:30 AM local time. Residents and visitors were welcomed aboard vessel tours and maritime exhibition booths, while a formal commemoration ceremony — complete with a colour guard, wreath-laying, and addresses from invited speakers — marked the gravity of the occasion.
Port public events of this kind have become a defining feature of National Maritime Day, connecting ordinary citizens with an industry that underpins much of what arrives on American shelves and shores.
Sail250 and the International Naval Review Signal a Grander Stage
The most expansive maritime spectacle tied to this year’s observance, however, stretches well beyond a single day.
Sail250, mounted as part of America’s 250th anniversary commemorations, will see more than 60 ships from 20 nations tour American ports from May 28 through July 16, 2026. The international flotilla will make port calls in New Orleans, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York City, and Boston, in what maritime observers are describing as one of the largest international naval reviews on American soil in decades.
The grand finale is set for July 4, 2026, when New York Harbour will host a sweeping maritime spectacle — tall ships, naval vessels, and aerial displays converging on the water to mark two and a half centuries of American independence.
The Merchant Marine: A Legacy of Commerce and Sacrifice
National Maritime Day traces its roots to the vital but often overlooked role of the U.S. Merchant Marine — the fleet of civilian-crewed commercial vessels that has carried American trade across oceans and, in times of war, supplied allied forces with munitions, fuel, food, and troops.
Merchant mariners served at enormous personal risk during both World Wars, and the industry’s collaboration with the United States military has remained a cornerstone of national security planning ever since. Today, the observance serves as a formal acknowledgement of those contributions — to the economy, to national defence, and to the global shipping lanes on which modern trade depends.
Significance for the Global Maritime Community
For maritime nations watching from across the Atlantic and beyond — including Nigeria, where the inland waterway and coastal shipping sectors continue to attract policy attention and investment — the American observance offers a model for institutionalising maritime heritage and building public awareness of the sector’s economic centrality.
A Call for Nigeria’s National Maritime Day
Nigeria’s own maritime regulator, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has in recent years pursued initiatives to elevate the profile of maritime commerce domestically. Industry voices have long called for a comparable national moment of recognition for Nigerian seafarers, port workers, and inland waterway operators.
As the United States celebrates its maritime legacy this week, those conversations take on fresh relevance closer to home.
Waterway News | Nigeria’s Leading Voice on Maritime and Inland Waterway Affairs
www.waterwaynews.ng
Understanding the Nautical Mile: The Mariner’s Unit of Distance
From ancient celestial charts to modern GPS systems, one unit of measurement has remained constant across the seas — and every seafarer must know it.
By Raymond Gold | Waterways News Editorial Desk | Maritime Education
In the world of maritime navigation, precision is not a luxury — it is a matter of life and safety at sea. Whether you are a deck officer plotting a course across the Atlantic, a pilot officer filing a flight plan, or a maritime cadet sitting your first professional examination, there is one fundamental unit of measurement that underpins everything: the nautical mile.
Yet despite its centrality to all things marine and aviation, the nautical mile remains poorly understood by many outside the profession. What exactly is it? Why does it differ from the ordinary mile we use on land? And why has it remained the global standard for over a century? Waterways News answers these questions in full.
“The nautical mile is not an arbitrary unit — it is carved from the very geometry of the Earth itself.”
What exactly is a nautical mile?
A nautical mile (abbreviated as NM or nm) is the standard unit of distance used in both marine and aviation navigation worldwide. Unlike the statute mile — the familiar unit of distance used on land in countries such as Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States — the nautical mile is not derived from historical convention or old imperial standards. Its definition is rooted directly in the geometry of the Earth.
Specifically, one nautical mile is defined as exactly one minute of arc of latitude on the Earth’s surface. The Earth is divided into 360 degrees of latitude, and each degree is divided into 60 minutes. That means the circumference of the Earth is essentially 360 × 60 = 21,600 nautical miles — a fact that makes the nautical mile extraordinarily useful for navigators, since a degree of latitude on a nautical chart corresponds directly to 60 nautical miles, and one minute of latitude to one nautical mile.
KEY CONVERSIONS — 1 NAUTICAL MILE EQUALS
In metres 1,852 metres exactly
In kilometres 1.852 km
In statute miles ≈ 1.1508 land miles
In feet ≈ 6,076 feet
Why not just use kilometres or land miles?
The question is a fair one, particularly for students approaching maritime education for the first time. The answer lies in the relationship between the nautical mile and the Earth’s coordinate system. Because navigators work with latitude and longitude — a system based on degrees and minutes — the nautical mile offers an immediate and intuitive connection between a chart reading and a real distance.
If a navigator notes that two positions differ by 30 minutes of latitude, they instantly know the distance between them is 30 nautical miles. No conversion is necessary. Using kilometres or statute miles on a nautical chart would break this elegant relationship and introduce unnecessary opportunity for error — a dangerous outcome at sea.
This consistency holds true anywhere on the globe: the relationship between one minute of latitude and one nautical mile does not vary whether you are navigating the Niger Delta waterways, the Gulf of Guinea, the English Channel, or the South China Sea. That universality is precisely why the nautical mile has been adopted as the international standard by bodies including the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Speed at sea: the knot
At sea, speed is not measured in kilometres per hour or miles per hour — it is measured in knots. One knot is defined as exactly one nautical mile per hour. A vessel travelling at 12 knots covers 12 nautical miles every hour. This unit, too, has a history tied directly to maritime practice — early sailors measured speed by throwing a wooden float overboard and counting how many knots on a rope passed through their hands in a fixed time.
The short answer: anyone involved in maritime or aviation operations. Deck officers and marine pilots use nautical miles daily for course plotting, passage planning, and position reporting. Port and harbour authorities reference distances in nautical miles when coordinating vessel traffic. Search and rescue coordinators define search areas in nautical miles. Meteorologists and oceanographers use nautical miles and knots when describing weather systems affecting coastal and offshore waters.
For Nigeria specifically — a country with an extensive coastline along the Gulf of Guinea, a vast network of inland waterways including the Niger and Benue river systems, and a growing oil and gas maritime sector — the nautical mile is foundational knowledge for anyone working in or around the nation’s blue economy. From NIMASA-licensed officers to small-craft operators on the Lagos Lagoon, from river pilots on the Niger to offshore supply vessel crews, understanding this basic unit is the starting point for all professional maritime competence.
A note for maritime students
If you are currently studying for a professional maritime certificate of competency — whether at the Nigerian Maritime University, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron, or any other approved institution — expect the nautical mile and its conversions to appear in your navigation and chartwork papers. Memorise the key figures: 1 NM = 1,852 metres. Know that one degree of latitude = 60 nautical miles. And understand that speed at sea is always expressed in knots, never kilometres per hour.
These are not merely examination facts. They are the language of the sea — and knowing them fluently is the mark of a professional mariner.
Chief Raymond Gold is Co-Publisher and Research Reporter at Waterways News
Blog
Onigbinde Assumes MARAN Presidency, Vows to Rebuild Association, Raise Bar for Maritime Journalism
Onigbinde Assumes MARAN Presidency, Vows to Rebuild Association, Raise Bar for Maritime Journalism
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Correspondent
Newly-elected President of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde, has outlined a reform-driven agenda anchored on institutional rebuilding, ethical journalism, member welfare, and deeper engagement with maritime industry stakeholders.
Onigbinde, Assistant Editor of Shipping Position Daily, emerged as the 15th president of MARAN following a keenly contested election held at the association’s elective congress in Apapa, Lagos last week Thursday. He defeated veteran maritime journalist Reverend John Iwori in a poll conducted under the supervision of the Lagos State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Speaking during an interactive session on Radio Nigeria shortly after his victory, Onigbinde described his emergence as a collective win for the association rather than a personal triumph, and stressed that the road ahead would demand unity, sacrifice, and accountability from all members.
“Leadership is not about age; it is about responsibility, maturity, and the ability to carry the hopes and expectations of the people,” he said, in what appeared to be a direct response to commentary about him being among the youngest presidents in the association’s history.
Reforms and Professionalism
At the heart of Onigbinde’s agenda is a commitment to institutional reform aimed at strengthening professionalism among maritime beat reporters and restoring MARAN’s relevance as a credible voice in industry and policy circles. He indicated that his administration would pursue expanded training and capacity-building programmes for members, alongside deliberate efforts to position MARAN as an active participant in maritime policy discourse.
“My dream includes strengthening professionalism among maritime journalists, improving members’ welfare, creating more training and capacity-building opportunities, and deepening engagement with industry stakeholders,” he stated.
The new president also placed ethical journalism at the centre of his reform vision, with a particular emphasis on mentoring the next generation of reporters covering Nigeria’s maritime sector.
“We intend to promote ethical journalism and ensure that younger journalists are mentored appropriately,” he said.
Reconciliation and Inclusivity
Beyond the reform agenda, Onigbinde pledged to heal divisions within the association that may have widened during the electioneering period. He gave assurances that his administration would run an inclusive ship, leaving no room for factional loyalties.
“My administration will be inclusive. There will be no room for party A or party B. Everybody must see themselves as part of this government regardless of who supported me or not,” he declared.
He disclosed that he had already reached out to his opponent, Rev. Iwori, immediately after the election results were announced, and expressed hope that both men would work together to advance the association. “I look forward to working with him and building stronger synergy to take MARAN to greater heights,” he said.
As part of his reconciliation drive, Onigbinde also announced plans to re-engage past presidents and long-standing members who had drifted from active participation in the association, noting that several former presidents had already signalled readiness to return following his election.
Flagship Programmes to Continue
The MARAN president reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining the association’s Annual Maritime Lecture, describing it as a critical platform for industry engagement and policy debate that his administration intends to strengthen further.
Nigeria Watch
MARAN’s health matters to Nigerian maritime journalism — and by extension, to the quality of public discourse around the sector’s development. An association that consistently produces well-trained, ethically grounded reporters is a strategic asset for institutions like NIMASA, the NPA, the NSC, and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, all of which depend on an informed media to build stakeholder trust and drive policy accountability.
Onigbinde’s stated emphasis on capacity-building, ethical standards, and stakeholder collaboration is well-calibrated. Whether the ambition translates into measurable outcomes will depend on the administration’s ability to mobilise resources, sustain member engagement, and resist the patronage pressures that have historically undermined associations of this kind. Waterwaysnews.ng will be watching
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