The continued concentration of Nigeria’s major port activities around Lagos is economically unsustainable and could undermine efforts to reduce logistics costs across the country, the Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio (MMI) has warned.
The socio-cultural organisation, in a statement issued Monday, said the Ibom Deep Seaport should be treated as a strategic national infrastructure capable of expanding Nigeria’s maritime capacity, decongesting the Lagos ports corridor and opening a new gateway for businesses in the South-South and South-East.
MMI’s International Public Relations Officer, Akparawa (Pst.) Idongesit Ikono, said the organisation was concerned by what it described as the Federal Government’s lack of concrete commitment to the project, particularly against the backdrop of fresh investments being channelled into port infrastructure in the Lagos and Ogun axes.
The group cited the reported £746 million commitment to Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports and an estimated $7 billion investment in the Gateway Deep Sea Port and Blue Marine Economic Zone in Ogun State, arguing that similar urgency should be demonstrated towards the Ibom project.
According to MMI, continued dependence on Lagos as the dominant maritime gateway has contributed to road congestion, logistics bottlenecks and additional costs through prolonged cargo movement and demurrage, making diversification of Nigeria’s port infrastructure an economic necessity.
It argued that the Ibom Deep Seaport, with its location along the Gulf of Guinea, could serve as a major maritime gateway for the South-South and South-East while complementing existing ports rather than competing with them.
The organisation also linked the viability of the proposed seaport to the development of supporting transport infrastructure, demanding accelerated completion of the East-West Road and the Calabar-Itu Highway.
MMI expressed concern over the reported decision to downgrade the Calabar-Itu Highway from the dual carriageway originally awarded under the previous administration to a single carriageway, saying the development could affect the broader connectivity required to support the seaport.
The group further urged the Akwa Ibom State Government to clarify the current status of the seaport project, including reports concerning a recent trip to France for a technical review involving potential investors.
MMI said the project should not become an election-season promise or political talking point, insisting that the Federal Government should provide a clear financing commitment, construction timeline and implementation plan.
The organisation maintained that developing multiple functional ports across Nigeria would promote a more balanced maritime economy and reduce the pressure on the Lagos axis.
“Enough promises. Show us commitment. Show us timelines. Start construction,” MMI said.
