Even as the nation celebrates her 58th anniversary of independence, divergent views have been trailing the nation's maritime industry.
While others were of the opinion that the industry is stagnant, some still believe that there is a gradual and steady development in the sector.
Some of the industry practitioners who spoke exclusively with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos included the Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Mr. Muda Yusuf.
He said that the sector is not growing at the same level with the economy, even as he added that there is no sufficient investment in the sector.
He also said that the capacity of the ports have been practically stagnant since they were built about several years ago.
"The sector has not been growing as fast as the economy is growing; there is no sufficient investment in the sector. The ports were built more than 30years ago and the capacity of the ports have been practically stagnant and yet the economy is developing in a multiple folds”
“All the reforms we expect at the sector are not coming out as fast as we want to see. We still have serious problems; the single window is not there, we are still doing physical examination. We have a lot of problems, we have lost a lot of our businesses to neighbouring counties, most of our shipment cargos are not coming again", he lamented.
He also fingered infrastructure as a major area that needs urgent attention.
"So the performance so far particularly in the area of port infrastructure is still not there, even in spite of the port concession. So the progress that we have made is not satisfactory at all. We have been talking about reforms; reforms in terms of bringing more investment to the ports and better infrastructure. Bringing in institutions at the ports, these are the issues. So we need to really do a lot more in reforming the entire port system and all the institutions that are directly involved in ports operations", he said.
Also speaking, the Acting Executive Director, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Mr. Paul Ndibe, said even though the sector just like Nigeria is growing, the infrastructural provisions for the proper development of the facilities are not in place.
He blames the infrastructural decay as the major reason there is slow development of the sector.
"Just like Nigeria, the maritime industry or sector is growing and the logistics and transport industry put together are also growing and there is no end to such growth. However, the feeling that is clear is the infrastructural provisions for the facilities for proper growth and development of the maritime sector are not in place. This is one of the areas that will draw back the speed at which the maritime industry could have developed", he argued.
He maintained that in as much as the maritime sector is private sector-driven, the environment to invest is not there.
According to him, "the maritime is essentially not public sector-driven, it is essentially private sector driven. But the environment for the private sector to invest is not there, the confidence level is very low. Look at the issue with seafarers, ship acquisition, Cabotage and a lot more, even look at the roads. So a lot of issues in the maritime and these issues contribute their own in the proper development of the industry and the government appears not be too attracted to it. Otherwise the government would have taken a position, have a policy, a national transport policy and then streamline operations in the maritime sector".
Ndibe, maintained that for proper development of the m sector, there is need for competition.
"The funds they are accumulating for ship owners they can disburse them and then profile those that have received a particular amount of money in the industry and then it can assist them grow more so that new and emerging investors can come up. It is only when you have solid competition that you can see growth in the sector". he concluded.
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