Shipping companies have decried high charges on berthing and passage imposed on Nigerian-flagged vessels by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as 4,477 vessels paid $111.9 billion per day on anchorage in 2025.

According to the shipping companies, each foreign vessel pays $25,000 per day for berthing despite being delayed in Nigeria, while national-flagged vessels pay about $1,500 to $2,500 for greenlight in and out of the port.

The NPA stated that total ship calls in the country rose by nearly 12 per cent to 4,477 vessels in 2025. This puts total daily anchorage payments at about $111.9 million.

In many cases, they noted, vessels remained on anchorage as a result due to operational constraints such as limited berth availability, terminal congestion, and road traffic leading to the port, forcing vessels to stay for long at anchorage.

The shipping operators stated that imposing charges during the waiting period ultimately increases the cost of shipping in Nigeria, especially when delays are largely beyond the control of vessel operators.

During the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy Stakeholders Engagement held in Lagos, the Chief Operating Officer of AA Secure Platforms, Balkisu Lawal-Akinbola, said the high cost of port operations was becoming unbearable.

She said that for vessels to leave Anchorage, they must secure NPA’s approval and also have a funded account with the authority before being allowed to leave.

Lawal-Akinbola appealed to the minister and NPA leadership to address the situation as it affects the cost of shipping services, which is passed on to the importers and consumers.

Defending the high charges, the Managing Director, NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, said the authority shoulders significant financial burdens to sustain services for the shipping community, even as Nigerian ports face stiff competition from regional hubs in Cotonou, Lomé, Ghana and Abidjan.

He pointed to the high cost of acquiring and maintaining critical marine equipment, such as tugboats, which are largely imported and paid for in foreign currency, further increasing operational expenses.

Dantsoho also identified channel maintenance, particularly dredging, as one of the most capital-intensive aspects of port management. (The Guardian)

Update news