Key points
- Expert says efficient marine logistics is essential to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
- High transaction costs and operational inefficiencies continue to constrain the maritime sector.
- Indigenous operators are urged to adopt digital technologies and strengthen governance.
- Improved financing and digitalised port operations are needed to support economic growth.
Main story
A maritime and energy expert, Atiemoria Ebhodaghe, has described the maritime sector as the backbone of Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas industry, saying efficient marine logistics is critical to achieving the country’s energy and economic objectives.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ebhodaghe said marine logistics provides the essential link between Nigeria’s offshore energy resources and the wider economy, warning that disruptions could bring upstream oil and gas operations to a halt.
He noted that while Nigeria had made progress in expanding its energy sector, high transaction costs and operational inefficiencies continued to limit the maritime industry’s contribution to economic growth.
According to him, the timely deployment of tugboats, platform supply vessels and crew boats remains indispensable for offshore exploration and production activities.
Ebhodaghe also said indigenous maritime companies had improved their capabilities in vessel operations and crewing but still faced challenges competing with foreign firms in delivering integrated logistics services.
He urged local operators to move beyond vessel ownership by investing in predictive maintenance, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled systems, digital data management and stronger corporate governance to improve competitiveness.
On financing, the maritime expert identified limited access to affordable long-term capital as the industry’s biggest challenge, noting that high-interest, short-term loans have slowed fleet expansion and technology upgrades.
While commending the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for supporting indigenous operators, he called for financing models tailored to the sector’s cash flow requirements and encouraged greater collaboration through asset pooling.
Ebhodaghe further said Nigeria’s ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030 would require transforming the maritime sector into a digitally integrated logistics corridor through automated port operations, unified maritime data platforms, AI-enabled vessel chartering systems and increased investment in workforce development.
The issues
The maritime sector remains central to Nigeria’s energy value chain, but financing constraints, operational inefficiencies and slow digital adoption continue to limit its ability to support economic diversification and industrial growth.
What’s being said
“If we don’t have reliable marine logistics such as the prompt chartering and deployment of tugboats, platform supply vessels and crew boats, upstream production can come to a standstill.” — Atiemoria Ebhodaghe, Maritime and Energy Expert
What’s next
Stakeholders are expected to push for greater digitalisation, improved financing mechanisms and stronger indigenous participation as Nigeria seeks to modernise its maritime sector and support its long-term energy ambitions.
Bottom line
Strengthening marine logistics, expanding access to affordable financing and accelerating digital transformation could significantly improve the maritime sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s energy industry and broader economic development.
