Okorefe Calls For Port Digitalisation, Rail Connectivity, National Shipping Carrier

Dr. Charles Okorefe, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kamany Marine Services Limited, has called for comprehensive port modernisation, stronger regulatory oversight, improved multimodal transport connectivity and the establishment of a national shipping carrier to strengthen Nigeria’s maritime sector.

Okorefe made the call while delivering a lecture at Primetime Reporters’ Annual Lecture and Awards, where he stressed that modernising the nation’s seaports must go beyond constructing warehouses, expanding quay walls and improving access routes to embrace digital technologies and efficient cargo evacuation systems.

He noted that although the Federal Government had entered into agreements with British firms to upgrade the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, the modernisation agenda should also address the structural and operational challenges confronting ports across the country, including those in the eastern maritime corridor.

According to him, port modernisation must prioritise the digitalisation of port operations, using advanced technologies to improve efficiency, monitor activities and reduce congestion.

Citing the Port of Rotterdam as an example, Okorefe highlighted the use of digital systems that replicate port activities in real time, enabling operators to monitor truck movements, deploy smart vehicle recognition systems and coordinate operations more effectively.

He argued that adopting similar technologies in Nigeria would help prevent unnecessary congestion and improve the overall efficiency of port operations.

The Kamany Marine Services Chief Executive also raised concerns about weak regulatory oversight in the maritime industry, particularly in the relationship between shipping companies, terminal operators and cargo owners.

He urged the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, NPERA to strengthen its regulatory functions and address complaints relating to excessive charges, escalating damage fees, port rent and delays in the refund of container deposits.

According to him, effective regulation is necessary to protect stakeholders, ensure transparency and prevent arbitrary charges that increase the cost of doing business at the nation’s ports.

Okorefe further identified poor integration of road, rail, inland waterways and pipeline infrastructure as a major obstacle to efficient cargo movement in Nigeria.

He explained that while faster documentation and cargo clearance systems were important, they would not deliver the desired results without efficient transportation networks to move goods from the ports to their final destinations.

He questioned the absence of an effective rail connection between Apapa and Tin Can Island ports despite years of operations, describing the situation as a significant infrastructure gap that undermines cargo evacuation.

The maritime expert also expressed concern that the Lekki Deep Sea Port commenced operations without a dedicated rail link in place to facilitate cargo movement.

He observed that congestion previously associated with Apapa had increasingly shifted towards the Lekki corridor, stressing the need for coordinated transport planning to prevent the transfer of existing port bottlenecks to new locations.

On inland waterway transportation, Okorefe advocated greater attention to short-sea shipping and the movement of cargo between major ports and smaller feeder ports.

He argued that an efficient coastal shipping system would reduce pressure on road infrastructure, ease congestion around major ports and improve the distribution of cargo across the country.

To achieve this, he called for the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, CVFF to qualified indigenous operators to enable them to acquire barges and smaller vessels for coastal and inter-port cargo transportation.

He noted that the prolonged delay in accessing the fund had deprived local operators of an important financing opportunity that could support indigenous shipping capacity and improve the use of inland waterways.

According to him, empowering local operators to participate more actively in short-sea shipping would complement the development of inland ports and feeder ports, while providing alternative channels for cargo evacuation.

Okorefe also renewed the call for Nigeria to establish a national shipping carrier, describing it as an important instrument for protecting the country’s economic interests and strengthening its capacity to move cargo during periods of international disruption.

He argued that a national carrier should not be viewed solely as a commercial venture but as a strategic asset capable of supporting the movement of crude oil and other export commodities, as well as dry cargo.

Using Iran as an example, he observed that the country’s ability to continue moving crude oil to China despite external military pressure underscored the strategic importance of shipping capacity in safeguarding national economic interests.

He maintained that Nigeria needed to reconsider the national carrier question, which has remained unresolved since the demise of the Nigerian National Shipping Line, NNSL.

While acknowledging that questions had persisted over the financing and viability of a national carrier, Okorefe urged stakeholders and the government to revisit the proposal and determine a sustainable framework for its establishment.

He emphasised that a national carrier could provide additional capacity for transporting the country’s exports and other goods, while strengthening Nigeria’s position in international shipping.

The maritime expert’s recommendations highlight the need for a coordinated approach to port development that combines digital transformation, effective regulation, integrated transportation infrastructure, accessible financing for indigenous operators and strategic investment in national shipping capacity.

Photo Caption: Dr. Charles Okorefe, MD/CEO of Kamany Marine Services Limited.

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