NSC Seeks Rail Integration To Unlock Blue Economy Potential
Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has said efficient rail integration into the port system will unlock trade value, reduce cargo congestion and strengthen the country’s Blue Economy potential.
Dr Juliana Saka, Assistant Director and Head of the Designate Unit, NSC, said this during the Children’s Day Blue Talents Rail-to-Sea Programme organised by the Ocean Ambassadors Foundation and APM Terminals on Monday in Apapa, Lagos.
Saka said rail transport remained critical to moving high cargo volumes from seaports to inland markets, reducing pressure on roads, lowering emissions and improving trade efficiency.
According to her, dedicated rail corridors reduce cargo dwell time, increase port throughput and connect shippers to factories and distribution hubs more efficiently.
“Rail operators unlock trade value by moving high volumes from ports to inland markets, reducing congestion, emissions and truck bottlenecks.
“When rail connects to ports, supply chains become faster, cleaner and more reliable. It reduces gate congestion, shortens dwell times, lowers costs and boosts resilience by easing road pressure,” she said.
She noted that although oceans move cargo efficiently, delays often occur at ports because roads, truck parks and terminals struggle to absorb increasing cargo volumes.
“Nearly 60 per cent of freight moves by road, offering flexibility for short-distance movement but placing huge pressure on major transport corridors.
“This reliance increases congestion, emissions, costs and delays, becoming a structural challenge in high-growth trade regions,” she said.
Saka said integrating rail into the Blue Economy would bridge ports to the hinterland, enabling reliable cargo movement with lower emissions and fewer logistics bottlenecks.
She, however, identified customs delays, multiple checkpoints, overlapping charges and fragmented regulations as major constraints affecting rail cargo operations in Lagos ports.
According to her, inconsistent fees and approval delays increase cargo dwell time and weaken the competitiveness of rail transport.
To unlock the sector’s potential, she called for direct rail connections to Lagos ports, development of inland container depots in Ibadan, Kano and Kaduna, and upgrades of standard gauge rail corridors.
Saka also advocated harmonisation of customs procedures and charges, expansion of the single-window system and simplification of intermodal tariffs to improve cost predictability.
She further recommended the establishment of a Rail-Port Integration Authority, increased Public-Private Partnership (PPP) investments and regular stakeholder engagement to address operational challenges.
On digital transformation, Saka urged the deployment of e-booking and cargo tracking platforms, as well as training for operators in intermodal logistics management.
She also proposed pilot rail corridors such as Lagos-Ibadan and temporary incentives for rail cargo movement to attract investment into the sector.
