Chairman of SIFAX Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, has called on the Federal Government to urgently prioritise the rehabilitation and expansion of Nigeria’s eastern ports to unlock economic growth and decongest the overstretched Lagos port corridors.
Afolabi made the appeal while receiving the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, at the SIFAX Group head office in Lagos.
He expressed concern over the prolonged neglect of eastern port infrastructure, noting that the imbalance in port utilisation continues to undermine Nigeria’s overall maritime efficiency.
“My passionate appeal to government is to extend the ongoing port modernisation initiative to the eastern ports”, Afolabi said. “Economic activities across the ports are increasing year after year, but these activities are largely concentrated in Lagos. The pressure on Lagos ports has stretched existing infrastructure beyond capacity, resulting in persistent congestion that ultimately affects efficiency”.
He stressed that immediate steps must be taken to revitalise key eastern ports, including Warri, Onne, and Calabar, particularly through dredging to enable them accommodate larger vessels.
“This is the time for government to resuscitate eastern ports. Dredging the Warri, Onne and Calabar channels will allow bigger vessels to berth safely and significantly reduce the burden on Lagos ports”, he added.
Afolabi further highlighted the long-standing challenges along the Tin Can Island Port corridor, describing the persistent gridlock as a major economic setback.
“The Tin Can corridor has for years borne traffic volumes far beyond its design capacity. The resulting congestion has become a recurring cost to businesses, a source of frustration for transporters, and a drag on national productivity”, he noted.
In his response, Ukeyima commended Afolabi and SIFAX Group for their significant contributions to Nigeria’s maritime sector, describing the company as a key player that has leveraged the maritime value chain to drive economic growth.
He also assured of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s readiness to collaborate with SIFAX Group in advancing reforms and development initiatives within the industry.