ASABA/Nigeria: Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, has called for bold reforms and massive investments in port infrastructure across Nigeria, warning that over-reliance on Lagos ports is choking the nation’s maritime and economic potential.
Speaking during an interview on ADBN Television on Friday, Aniagwu declared that revamping underutilized ports in the South-South and beyond is critical to unlocking the vast opportunities in Nigeria’s blue economy. He stressed that the South-South region — with all its states bordered by the Atlantic Ocean — is the natural hub for maritime expansion and deserves focused development.
“Our dependence on Apapa Port has stifled Nigeria’s maritime growth,” he said. “Decentralizing port operations and investing in port infrastructure across the Niger Delta will not only ease congestion but drive job creation, trade, and national revenue diversification.”
Aniagwu urged the Federal Government to immediately harness the economic power of the nation’s aquatic assets — particularly in the Niger Delta, and shift from rhetoric to execution. He listed Warri, Koko, Sapele, Burutu, Onne, Calabar, and Ibom Deep Seaport as viable port locations that can transform the country’s logistics and industrial capacity.
The commissioner also advocated for the dredging of the River Niger and the activation of a port in Lokoja, arguing that such steps would create an inland logistics artery to the Middle Belt and Northern Nigeria, significantly reducing pressure on southern routes.
“Nigeria must stop viewing port infrastructure through the lens of Lagos alone,” Aniagwu said. “Reviving and expanding our ports will position us competitively in the global maritime economy and lessen our over-reliance on oil revenues.”
He pointed to infrastructure strides by the Delta State Government under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, particularly the construction of a new road to the River Niger in Asaba, which he described as a foundation for the emerging Asaba Waterfront City. He added that travel from Asaba to Warri now takes just one hour and fifty minutes on the newly completed Asaba-Ughelli dual carriageway, which enhances connectivity and reduces travel stress.
“Good roads, efficient ports, and reliable logistics systems are the building blocks of economic growth,” Aniagwu stated. “They open up trade corridors, attract investment, and foster sustainable development.”
He further argued that modern ports would relieve Nigeria’s road infrastructure from the constant damage caused by overloaded trucks, saving the nation billions in maintenance costs.
Aniagwu called on port authorities, maritime stakeholders, and federal agencies to act with urgency, declaring that only with forward-thinking investments and decentralization can Nigeria fully tap into the $1.5 trillion global blue economy.
