Nigeria, often referred to as the giant of Africa, sits on a strategic coastline along the Gulf of Guinea. Yet, despite this geographical advantage, the country’s port infrastructure has struggled to meet the growing demands of trade, industry, and globalization. Lagos ports—Apapa and Tin Can—currently dominate the maritime space, but they are heavily congested, causing delays, inflated costs, and logistical nightmares for businesses.
Against this backdrop, Port Harcourt Port and Onne Port in Rivers State are emerging as potential game changers. These two ports, strategically located in the Niger Delta, have the capacity, location, and industrial linkages to ease the burden on Lagos ports while creating a more balanced maritime economy for Nigeria.
We now explore how Port Harcourt and Onne Ports can transform Nigeria’s trade, economy, and global positioning.
1. Strategic Location in the Niger Delta
The Niger Delta is the heartbeat of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. Rivers State, home to Port Harcourt and Onne Ports, is strategically positioned close to oil-producing hubs and major industrial zones.
Unlike Lagos, which primarily serves import-driven commerce, Port Harcourt and Onne are well-placed to handle both exports (especially crude oil, LNG, and agricultural products) and imports (machinery, raw materials, and refined products).
This location advantage reduces inland transportation bottlenecks. For example:
- Companies in the South-South and South-East no longer need to haul goods over 600 km from Lagos.
- Exporters of agricultural products in states like Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River can use Port Harcourt and Onne for quicker, cheaper shipment.
2. Decongesting Lagos Ports
Lagos ports handle over 70% of Nigeria’s maritime trade, creating overwhelming congestion. Long queues of trucks, high demurrage costs, and delays of up to two weeks are common.
By upgrading and maximizing Port Harcourt and Onne Ports, Nigeria can spread cargo traffic more evenly. The benefits include:
- Reduced congestion in Lagos, making Lagos ports more efficient for businesses in the South-West.
- Lower costs for importers/exporters in the East and South-South, as they no longer need to rely exclusively on Lagos.
- Improved logistics for landlocked neighbors (like Chad and Niger), who currently depend on Lagos for international shipping access.
3. Specialization: Onne as an Oil & Gas Hub
Onne Port is already recognized internationally as a dedicated oil and gas free zone. It houses some of the world’s largest oil service companies, including Schlumberger, Halliburton, and ExxonMobil.
With further development, Onne can:
- Strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional hub for oilfield logistics and marine services.
- Support the Nigerian Content Development initiative by enabling local businesses to participate in oil servicing.
- Expand beyond oil and gas to attract manufacturing, ship repair, and trans-shipment activities.
4. Boosting Export Diversification
Nigeria’s overdependence on crude oil exports is a recurring economic challenge. With Port Harcourt and Onne Ports functioning optimally, Nigeria can:
- Increase exports of agricultural produce (palm oil, cocoa, rubber, cassava, and fishery products) from the South-South and South-East.
- Open opportunities for manufactured goods from Aba (the “Japan of Africa”) and other industrial clusters.
- Encourage local farmers and SMEs by reducing export bottlenecks and costs.
This directly supports the Federal Government’s non-oil export diversification agenda.
5. Job Creation and Local Economy Growth
Expanding the capacity of Port Harcourt and Onne Ports would create thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Opportunities range from dockworkers, freight forwarders, and shipping agencies to logistics companies, warehousing, and hospitality.
For Rivers State and neighboring states, this means:
- Massive youth employment in logistics and trade.
- Growth of support industries such as trucking, storage, ICT services, and insurance.
- Boost to local tax revenues and urban development in Port Harcourt, Eleme, and nearby towns.
6. Infrastructure and Industrial Linkages
The presence of Petrochemical plants, LNG facilities, refineries (both existing and upcoming like Dangote’s), and free trade zones in the South-South makes Port Harcourt and Onne ports natural gateways for industrial growth.
If linked effectively by road, rail, and inland waterways, these ports can become integrated industrial corridors—similar to global models like Singapore’s Jurong Port or Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port.
7. Regional Trade and AfCFTA Advantage
With the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Nigeria has the opportunity to become a trade hub for West and Central Africa. Port Harcourt and Onne Ports are uniquely placed to serve this market, especially for landlocked countries like Chad and Niger, as well as Central African states like Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.
Improved ports in Rivers State can:
- Make Nigeria a distribution hub for manufactured and processed goods.
- Reduce dependence on foreign ports like Cotonou (Benin) and Tema (Ghana), which currently attract Nigerian-bound cargo.
8. Challenges Holding Back Port Harcourt & Onne Ports
Despite their potential, both ports face challenges that must be addressed:
- Poor road connectivity: The East-West road and Eleme axis remain problematic, causing delays in cargo evacuation.
- Security concerns: Piracy, militancy, and oil theft in the Niger Delta discourage some shipping lines.
- Bureaucratic bottlenecks: Customs delays, multiple checkpoints, and high tariffs reduce competitiveness.
- Underutilized capacity: Despite modern terminals, many shippers still prefer Lagos due to habit and infrastructure.
9. Policy and Investment Opportunities
Unlocking the potential of Port Harcourt and Onne Ports requires deliberate policy actions and partnerships:
- Government investment in access roads, rail links, and inland dry ports.
- Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) for modernizing terminals, cranes, and container yards.
- Security frameworks involving the Navy, marine police, and private surveillance to protect shipping routes.
- Digital transformation: Implementing electronic clearance systems, tracking, and paperless documentation to cut delays.
If these steps are taken, Rivers State ports can rival Lagos within the next decade.
10. The Bigger Picture: A Balanced Maritime Economy
The dominance of Lagos ports creates an unbalanced economy. By strengthening Port Harcourt and Onne Ports, Nigeria achieves:
- Balanced regional development, reducing overdependence on Lagos.
- Lower business costs nationwide, making Nigeria more competitive globally.
- Increased attractiveness for foreign direct investment (FDI) in manufacturing, logistics, and trade.
This shift would mark a structural transformation in Nigeria’s economic landscape.
Port Harcourt and Onne Ports are not just alternatives to Lagos—they are potential game changers for Nigeria’s maritime economy. Their strategic location in the Niger Delta, existing oil and gas infrastructure, and proximity to industrial and agricultural hubs make them uniquely positioned to drive Nigeria’s diversification agenda, decongest Lagos, and create massive economic opportunities.
For this transformation to happen, however, Nigeria must tackle infrastructural deficits, enhance security, and adopt business-friendly policies. If done right, Port Harcourt and Onne Ports could redefine Nigeria’s place in global trade—shifting the country from a congested, import-heavy economy to a diversified export-driven hub.