The Onitsha River Port in Anambra State marked a significant milestone this August as it welcomed the first barge of the 2025 trading season—MV ZUPITOR/MV RB ALASKA—bringing renewed attention to Nigeria’s inland waterway infrastructure and its untapped economic potential.
Operated by Universal Elysium Limited, the concessionaire of the Onitsha Port, the arrival of the barge was met with optimism and frustration in equal measure. Speaking to newsmen, the company’s General Manager, Mr. Chris Mbonu, praised the milestone but decried the persistent limitations posed by seasonal water levels on the River Niger.
“The port is fully functional and ready to operate 365 days a year,” Mbonu said. “But without regular dredging of the River Niger, we are reduced to a seasonal port, functioning only during the rainy season when water levels permit navigation.”
The main obstacle, according to Mbonu, is the inconsistent and inadequate dredging of the River Niger—a critical artery linking the port to the southern seaports and broader international markets. He likened a port without access to navigable waterways to “a car without fuel,” stressing that the lack of consistent waterway management renders the port a stopgap solution rather than a reliable logistics hub.
Mbonu called on the Federal Government, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the private sector to collaborate on making year-round dredging a strategic national priority.
“We have the infrastructure, we have the market, and we have the demand. What’s missing is the political will and consistent investment in the River Niger’s navigability,” he emphasized.
A year-round operational Onitsha Port, Mbonu noted, could revolutionize Nigeria’s supply chain by easing congestion at seaports like Apapa and Tin Can Island, reducing road traffic on overstretched highways, and drastically cutting transport and logistics costs for businesses.
Industry analysts agree. With an efficient inland port system, goods can be moved directly from coastal ports to the heart of Nigeria’s commercial hubs—including Anambra, Enugu, Delta, and beyond—reducing delivery times and promoting regional economic integration.
Beyond logistics, the port holds transformative potential for sectors such as:
Agriculture: Faster movement of agro-products from farms to markets.
Manufacturing: Cheaper inbound shipping of raw materials.
Tourism and recreation: Development of river transport routes and recreational facilities.
Export trade: Enhanced ease of outbound movement of commodities like sesame, cashew, and solid minerals.
Originally commissioned to facilitate the movement of cargo from Nigeria’s seaports to the Southeast and North-Central regions, Onitsha Port has suffered from inconsistent usage due to government neglect and fluctuating river conditions.
Despite recent refurbishments and operational licensing under a public-private partnership model, stakeholders believe the port’s potential remains largely untapped. The consistent dredging of the lower Niger could change that narrative.
“We cannot continue to treat a national asset this valuable as a seasonal experiment,” Mbonu concluded.
As Nigeria pursues its Blue Economy agenda and aims to diversify revenue sources beyond oil, ports like Onitsha could play a pivotal role in decentralizing trade and logistics infrastructure, especially in the South-East.
For now, the arrival of MV ZUPITOR/MV RB ALASKA marks a promising start to the 2025 shipping season. But industry insiders agree—it’s not about celebrating seasonal victories; it’s about building sustainable systems.