The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), the country’s ports economic regulator has restated its commitment towards the realisation of the Isiala Ngwa Inland Dry Port.
Akutah Pius Ukeyima, executive secretary/chief executive officer of the Nigerian Shippers Council, made this known, Wednesday, during a courtesy visit to Governor Alex Otti of Abia State at his Umuehim Nvosi, country home in Isiala-Ngwa South Local Government Area of the State.
He appealed to Abia State Government to provide critical Infrastructure, including access roads, electricity, and water supply to the project site, engage with the concessionaire to encourage compliance with financial and operational obligations, as well as establish a State Implementation Committee, to coordinate with the Council and the concessionaire for effective project delivery.
“Your Excellency, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council remains steadfast in its commitment to this project. We are prepared to provide all necessary regulatory and technical support, and to work with all stakeholders to actualize this vision”, Ukeyima stated.
Read also: Shippers’ Council moves needle on stalled cargo tracking
The Isiala Ngwa Inland Dry Port (IDP) Project, a flagship initiative of the Federal Government’s port reform programme, is designed to decentralise port services and bring them closer to inland commercial centres.
The Isiala Ngwa IDP, gazetted in 2006 and concessioned to Eastgate Container Terminal Limited, holds unique significance as the only IDP in Nigeria granted a 30-year concession period, a clear signal of its strategic value.
Unfortunately, progress has stalled with only about 10% completion, due largely to infrastructure deficits and delayed fulfilment of equity obligations by key stakeholders, Ukeyima stated.
He however noted that with renewed commitment from the concessionaire and the enabling leadership of the Governor Alex Otti-led administration, that the IDP can deliver far-reaching benefits that can transform Abia State into a major logistics and trade hub for the South-East and neighbouring regions.
“The Inland Dry Port when realised would also provide direct global market access for Aba’s world-renowned industrial clusters and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, especially in logistics, warehousing, transportation, and services and boost Abia State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), through increased trade volumes and value-added economic activities”.
Ukeyima stated also that the Isiala Ngwa IDP is strategically positioned to serve as a logistics hub under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),
facilitating regional trade, cross-border logistics, and transit cargo to landlocked countries such as Chad and Niger.
According to the NSC Boss, “This IDP when operationalized will enable export diversification, especially for non-oil goods, such as agro-commodities, textiles, leather, and fabricated products from Aba and other markets in South Eastern Nigeria.
“The Isial Ngwa IDP will further contribute to increased non-oil revenue, foreign exchange earnings, and the formalisation of cross-border trade, which will directly benefit Abia State’s economy.
Read also: Shippers Council targets increased revenue, efficiency with cargo tracking
“Moreover, the synergy between the IDP and AfCFTA will attract private sector investments in storage, freight forwarding, bonded warehousing, and agro-processing, all of which will translate into job creation and inclusive growth.This opportunity must be seized now.
“With infrastructure support and institutional backing, Abia State can position itself as a continental trade gateway”, he said
Governor Alex Otti, in his response, decried the prolonged delay in the operationalisation of the Inland Port and called for urgent Federal Government intervention to address critical transport infrastructure gaps, especially the absence of rail connectivity.
Describing the 19-year delay as a “major economic loss” and an indictment on the project’s implementation process, Governor Otti said, “Isiala Ngwa IDP was well-positioned from the initial conceptualisation, but for it to remain on the drawing table for 19 years, something is definitely wrong”.
The Governor identified transportation, particularly the lack of rail infrastructure, as a major bottleneck hindering the viability of inland ports across the country.
“The major problem is transportation. Until we solve that problem of rail, the inland port system will remain unviable. The cheapest way to move goods is through rail. You can freight them and pay more, but that’s not sustainable for business”, Governor Otti stated.
While acknowledging ongoing Federal Government investments in rail, including the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri corridor, the Governor noted that some concerns had been raised about the decision to use narrow-gauge tracks in the region.
He, however, clarified that for cargo movement, the gauge is less of a concern compared to timely and efficient execution.
“The difference between narrow and standard gauge is about 40 to 50 kilometers per hour. If the trains are carrying goods, they don’t even move that fast. The real issue is in the execution”, he said.
Governor Otti, also pledged to engage with Federal authorities, including the Minister of Transport to resolve the challenges and expressed readiness to travel to Abuja for high-level discussions on the matter.
Read also: Shippers council seeks Foreign Affairs partnership to develop port economy
“I’m happy to be part of the solution. I want the port to start working but we must ensure that when the investment is made, there’s patronage. Otherwise, we’ll be wasting time and money”.
He further questioned why importers still prefer Lagos ports despite the proximity of Port Harcourt and Calabar ports, noting that such market behaviour must be properly understood to avoid misguided interventions.
“In another 10 years, the concession would have lapsed. Yet we’ve lost almost 20 years already. We must ask critical questions now or risk going in circles again”, he said.
The Governor underscored the need to move beyond rhetoric to actual execution, stating that while stakeholders’ requests have been noted, his own demand for a practical solution to the transportation problem should take precedence.
He expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for the visit and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to infrastructure development, trade facilitation, and economic growth.
