By Godwin Oritse

The Coalition of South-South Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (COSSCCIMA) has expressed deep concern over the continued neglect of the Warri and Calabar ports, warning that their deteriorating conditions are causing massive revenue losses to both the state and federal governments.

In a statement by COSSCCIMA President, Mr. Indutimi Komonibo, the group criticized the under-utilization of these strategic ports in Delta and Cross River States, citing severe economic and environmental consequences.

“The Organized Private Sector, represented by COSSCCIMA, is alarmed by the deteriorating state of the Warri and Calabar ports — two critical gateways for trade in the South-South region.

“Instead of prioritizing urgent rehabilitation, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has imposed a 15 percent hike in port charges, worsening an already hostile business environment.”

He noted that Nigeria now has the highest port charges in West Africa, driving investors and cargo traffic to competing ports in Ghana, Benin Republic, and Cameroon.

He pointed to specific infrastructural decay, such as siltation, collapsed breakwaters, and abandoned dredging projects that have rendered the ports inefficient.

“The Escravos Channel has lost five meters in depth — from 14 meters in 2010 to 9 meters in 2024. This forces vessels to offload up to 4,000 tons of cargo before entering, raising costs for businesses,” he stated.

The Calabar Channel, he added, remains undredged despite the reported expenditure of $56 million on a failed contract. As a result, the port operates at less than 15 percent of its installed capacity, pushing businesses to shift operations to the port of Douala in Cameroon.

Komonibo warned that the continued neglect could lead to long-term economic stagnation in the region.
“Millions in potential government revenue are lost due to trade diversion, and the declining industrial activity in Cross River State is pushing the region toward economic stagnation.

“If urgent intervention is not implemented, Warri and Calabar will become ghost ports, and their host communities will suffer irreversible socio-economic damage,” he stated.

COSSCCIMA also called for the immediate establishment of a Port Pricing Council to review and prevent arbitrary increases in fees and charges. Komonibo stressed that failure to address these issues would further undermine Nigeria’s position in regional trade and economic integration.