Nigeria Underutilizes 70% of Inland Waterways Amid Port Crisis

Nigeria's maritime infrastructure faces a critical paradox: the nation underutilizes approximately 70% of its inland waterway capacity while simultaneously struggling with severe port congestion and elevated freight costs. This contradiction, highlighted at an IMION (Institute of Maritime and Inland Waterways) training session by a Lagos State University (LASU) academic, reveals a fundamental disconnect between available infrastructure and operational deployment. The simultaneous existence of unused inland waterway capacity and persistent port congestion suggests that Nigeria's logistics ecosystem suffers from structural inefficiencies rather than pure capacity constraints.

Companies continue to rely on congested maritime ports despite viable alternative routing through inland waters, likely due to regulatory gaps, insufficient infrastructure connectivity, lack of operator expertise, or absence of competitive service models on inland routes. For supply chain professionals, this presents both a warning and an opportunity. Rising freight costs tied to port congestion create competitive pressure, particularly for commodity-dependent sectors.

However, the underutilized inland waterway network represents potential relief if operators can overcome the barriers preventing adoption. Companies sourcing from or shipping through Nigeria should monitor policy initiatives aimed at inland waterway development and begin feasibility studies for alternative routing where applicable.