Peter Obi Faults Tinubu Govt Over $1Billion Lagos Ports’ Upgrade, Says Policy Sidelines Other Regions
Peter Obi Faults Tinubu Govt Over $1Billion Lagos Ports’ Upgrade, Says Policy Sidelines Other Regions
Obi, in a statement titled “The Imperative of Diversifying Port Development in Nigeria,” and issued on Friday, faulted the Federal Government’s recent approval of $1 billion (₦1.5 trillion) for the modernisation of the Apapa and TinCan Island Ports, describing it as another instance of policy bias that sidelines other regions.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for what he described as an unfair concentration of port development projects in Lagos, warning that such an approach undermines national equity and economic balance.
Obi, in a statement titled “The Imperative of Diversifying Port Development in Nigeria,” and issued on Friday, faulted the Federal Government’s recent approval of $1 billion (₦1.5 trillion) for the modernisation of the Apapa and TinCan Island Ports, describing it as another instance of policy bias that sidelines other regions.
“I have noted the Federal Government’s recent approval of $1 billion (₦1.5 trillion) for the modernisation of the Apapa and TinCan Island Ports in Lagos. While any effort to improve efficiency and embrace technology in our maritime sector is commendable, such an initiative must be guided by accountability, transparency, and equity for all Nigerians,” Obi stated.
He lamented that “this development once again exposes a longstanding concentration of our port development only in Lagos,” arguing that “Nigeria’s infrastructure investment remains excessively concentrated in Lagos, often at the expense of other strategic ports such as Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne.”
Obi emphasised that if these ports were fully developed, they could “enhance productivity, drive trade, create jobs, and open new economic corridors that would lift millions out of poverty across the federation.”
Drawing comparisons with other nations, he cited Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Ghana as examples of countries that have decentralised port operations to achieve balanced economic growth.
“These nations have grasped a simple truth: no country seeking to maximise its blue economy concentrates all maritime activities in a single city,” he said.
“Decentralisation reduces congestion, improves logistics, enhances national security, and promotes balanced economic growth.”
According to him, Nigeria’s current structure, where “more than 70 per cent of port activities are still concentrated in Lagos,” continues to overburden the city with “chronic congestion, high demurrage costs, environmental degradation, and delays that discourage investors and inflate the cost of goods nationwide.”
Obi stressed that “developing other ports is, therefore, not merely an infrastructural necessity but a national imperative,” adding that revitalising Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne would help “decongest Lagos, reduce shipping costs, attract investment, create employment, and stimulate regional economies.”
He also urged the government to go beyond physical expansion and tackle systemic inefficiencies. “Beyond physical infrastructure, reform must also address corruption, reduce bureaucracy, and embrace technology to create a seamless, paperless port system that enhances turnaround time and global competitiveness,” Obi said.
While acknowledging the Lagos port modernisation as potentially beneficial, Obi argued that “if prudently managed, the Lagos modernisation project could become a model for broader maritime transformation — a reference point from which similar development radiates across the nation.”
Concluding his statement, he reiterated his call for fairness and inclusiveness in national development. “Now more than ever, Nigeria must rebuild with fairness, guided by equity, integrity, and a clear vision to transform our nation from one of consumption to one of production and shared prosperity,” he said.
