By John Moses
A new report from the Bashir Adeniyi Centre for International Trade and Investment (BACITI) has stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to upgrade its port infrastructure, digitise operations, and improve logistics networks if it hopes to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The study, Economic Insight: Building Resilient Port and Trade Logistics in Africa, was released on Sunday by Dr Adesuwa Erediauwa, Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), which oversees BACITI’s work.
With AfCFTA aiming to boost intra-African trade by over 50% by 2035, the report warns that Nigeria’s current port inefficiencies and logistics constraints could prevent the continent’s largest economy from fully benefiting.
“Resilient and efficient ports are now the lifeblood of trade competitiveness in Africa,” Dr Erediauwa said. “Nigeria’s ports are central to regional trade, yet continue to suffer from serious performance challenges.”
Despite handling more than 80% of the country’s foreign trade—and with Lagos ports alone processing 1.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2023—Nigeria ranked a dismal 311th out of 370 ports globally in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index.
Prolonged dwell times of up to 20 days and severe congestion, especially at Lagos terminals, highlight the bottlenecks that hamper efficient cargo movement. The report attributes these problems to underdeveloped dry ports, poor hinterland infrastructure, and limited multimodal connectivity.
BACITI recommends a full digital overhaul of port operations, including the nationwide rollout of a Port Community System by 2025. It also calls for the integration of blockchain technology for cargo tracking, a practice already being piloted in parts of East and Southern Africa.
Dr Erediauwa urged swift completion of the Lagos-Ibadan railway to ensure seamless cargo transfers from Apapa and Lekki ports, and advocated fresh investment in inland dry ports in locations such as Kaduna, Kano and Funtua to ease pressure on the coastal gateways.
She also proposed expanding public-private partnerships to revitalise underutilised ports in Calabar, Warri, and Onne, creating a more balanced national logistics landscape.
“Modern ports and logistics systems are no longer optional—they are strategic necessities,” she noted. “To lead Africa in trade, Nigeria must first lead in logistics.”
The report further recommends the development of a National Port Contingency Plan to mitigate disruptions from future pandemics, geopolitical instability, and climate-related shocks.
