Shippers Council boss, Ukeyima, explains delay in realising Isiala Ngwa dry port

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr Akutah Pius Ukeyima, has attributed the prolonged delay in operationalising the Isiala Ngwa Inland Dry Port (IDP) in Abia State to infrastructure deficits and sluggish equity commitments by key stakeholders.

Dr Ukeyima made this known during a courtesy visit by the NSC delegation to Governor Alex Otti at the Government House, Umuahia.

The Isiala Ngwa IDP, one of six designated inland ports across Nigeria, was conceived nearly two decades ago as part of the federal government’s port reform initiative aimed at decongesting the seaports and promoting regional trade. It was gazetted in 2006, with Eastgate Container Terminal Limited granted a 30-year concession to develop and operate the facility. However, as of 2024, the project has achieved only about 10 per cent completion.

Dr Ukeyima lamented the dormant status of the port, stressing that its activation is crucial for boosting trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), enhancing Aba’s industrial output, and improving logistics efficiency in the Southeast.

He praised Governor Otti’s developmental drive and reiterated the Council’s commitment to providing regulatory and technical assistance to fast-track the dry port’s completion. According to him, a functional Isiala Ngwa dry port would significantly enhance access to global markets for Aba’s industrial hubs, create thousands of jobs in logistics and related sectors, and improve Abia’s internally generated revenue.

“We are committed to working closely with the Abia State Government and relevant stakeholders to break the jinx and realise the economic potential of this project,” he said.

Governor Otti, in his response, decried the nearly two-decade-long delay and blamed the situation on inadequate transport infrastructure, particularly the absence of a functional railway system.

“Isiala Ngwa IDP was well-positioned from the initial conceptualisation. But for it to remain on the drawing board for 19 years, something is definitely wrong,” the governor said. “In another 10 years, the concession will lapse. We’ve already lost almost 20 years. We must ask the hard questions or risk going in circles again.”

He warned that without resolving transportation challenges – especially the lack of rail connectivity – the dry port system would remain unviable.

“The cheapest way to move goods is by rail. Road freight is more expensive and not sustainable for business in the long term,” he noted.

Otti acknowledged the federal government’s ongoing rail projects, including the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri line, but called for greater urgency and fairness in infrastructure deployment across regions. He expressed disappointment over reports that the Southeast may be left with narrow-gauge railways while other zones receive standard-gauge systems.

The governor pledged to work with the Federal Ministry of Transportation and other relevant agencies to resolve the bottlenecks and offered to travel to Abuja personally for further consultations.

“We are committed to making this dry port a reality. Abia is ready to partner with the federal government, private investors, and the Shippers’ Council to move from blueprint to execution,” he assured.

The Isiala Ngwa Inland Dry Port is one of several dry ports initiated by the federal government to promote hinterland trade, decongest the seaports in Lagos and Rivers states, and improve Nigeria’s overall logistics competitiveness. The IDP system was introduced in the early 2000s, with the Isiala Ngwa port positioned to serve Aba, Onitsha, and parts of the South-South and Southeast.

While some dry port projects – such as the Kaduna Inland Dry Port – have reached operational stages, those in the Southeast, including Isiala Ngwa, have faced prolonged delays due to funding constraints, infrastructure gaps (notably rail), and bureaucratic red tape.

With renewed interest from the NSC and the Abia State Government under Governor Otti, stakeholders hope the project will finally get the attention it deserves to transform the region into a logistics hub.