By Abigail Odubela
The President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has said poor logistics and inefficiencies within Nigeria’s transport ecosystem are driving up costs for businesses and consumers while weakening key sectors of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing and trade.
Oyeyemi made the remark while delivering the keynote address at the City Business News 10th Anniversary Lecture in Lagos, where he described logistics as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s economy and a critical enabler of trade, industrial growth and supply chain efficiency.
The former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) identified inland waterways transportation as one of the most viable alternatives to the country’s overdependence on road freight, noting that maritime and inland waterway freight forwarding activities are playing an increasingly important role in cargo distribution across the country.
He called for increased deployment of inland waterways transportation, improved port-linked logistics infrastructure and stronger regulatory reforms to enhance cargo movement and boost Nigeria’s economic competitiveness.
The CILT President pointed to recent developments at Lekki Deep Sea Port, ongoing capacity expansion projects at Onne Port and the growing adoption of barge operations as measures capable of reducing pressure on congested port access roads and improving cargo evacuation efficiency from the nation’s seaports.
Oyeyemi stated that logistics operators are increasingly utilizing inland waterways to move cargo from ports to inland destinations, thereby reducing truck traffic on major transport corridors and improving supply chain reliability.
Speaking on industry challenges, he said rising diesel prices, poor road infrastructure, multiple checkpoints and informal levies continue to increase the cost of freight movement across the country, adding that the situation has placed additional pressure on logistics operators and supply chains.
He noted that more than 90 per cent of freight movement in Nigeria is still undertaken by road transport, making the sector vulnerable to fuel price fluctuations and infrastructure deficiencies.
Oyeyemi also highlighted the growing adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG) by fleet operators and the use of digital freight-management platforms to improve operational efficiency, reduce empty truck returns and lower transportation costs.
On policy reforms, he advocated full implementation of the National Land Transport Policy (NLTP), stronger professional standards across the logistics value chain and accelerated deployment of the National Single Window initiative to improve cargo clearance processes and facilitate trade.
He further stressed the need for stronger integration of ports, rail and road transport systems, saying an efficient intermodal transport framework would improve cargo flow, reduce logistics costs and support Nigeria’s participation in regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Oyeyemi maintained that closer collaboration among government agencies, port operators, transport service providers and private investors would be essential to addressing longstanding logistics bottlenecks and unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy sector
Earlier, Publisher, City Business News, Mr. Moses Ebosele said the full potential of the nation’s logistics ecosystem can only be realized through sustained investments in infrastructure, technology, multimodal transportation networks and policy reforms.
“We must continue to improve port efficiency, expand rail connectivity, modernize road infrastructure, promote inland waterways transportation and embrace digital solutions that reduce delays and enhance transparency.” he said.
Speaking on the 10th anniversary of the publication, Ebosele said said the online platform has fulfilled its objective of providing insightful, accurate, and impactful reporting on critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
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