The Delta State seaports—Warri, Koko, Sapele, and Burutu—stand today as monuments of neglect. Despite their strategic location and enormous potential to create wealth, drive government revenue, and generate employment, they remain abandoned and underutilized. The Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) chronic neglect and misplaced priorities have left these maritime assets to waste away.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s recent appeal to the Federal Government highlights a growing frustration: while existing ports capable of transforming the Delta economy lie in ruin, new projects elsewhere receive attention and funding. This misdirection ignores the urgent need to revamp critical infrastructure in the South-South region.
Delta’s ports are plagued by shallow drafts, collapsed quays, insecurity, and dilapidated infrastructure. Yet the NPA has failed to act. Instead, Lagos maintains its dominance over Nigeria’s maritime sector, with over 90% of shipping traffic still concentrated there. Dredging projects repeatedly announced for Warri and its sister ports have either stalled or produced little impact, deepening doubts about the NPA’s sincerity and political will.
The consequences are grave. Continued abandonment of these ports not only stifles Delta State’s economic potential but also undermines Nigeria’s ambition to position itself as a leading West African maritime hub. Without urgent intervention, thousands of livelihoods will remain at risk while opportunities for growth are squandered.
The NPA, under the leadership of Managing Director Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has painted an optimistic picture through statements by Board Chairman Senator Adedayo Adeyeye. Promises of partnership with the Delta State Government, dredging efforts, modernization, and public-private collaborations suggest a commitment to revival. The NPA acknowledges that Delta ports currently contribute just 10.7% of national trade volumes, leaving room for significant improvement if real action is taken.
Yet industry watchers remain unconvinced. Despite rising through the ranks of the NPA and being regarded as an insider who understands the system, Dr. Dantsoho has so far failed to deliver decisive solutions. The ports remain idle, their facilities in decay, while bold, practical steps to unlock their economic power are still missing.
The time for rhetoric has passed. What Delta’s seaports need is more than promises: they need visible, sustained investment, credible security assurances, and effective management. Unless the NPA acts swiftly to reposition these ports, Nigeria will continue to lose billions in revenue and opportunities, leaving the South-South trapped in economic marginalization.
Delta’s maritime wealth is not a resource to be ignored. It is a ticking clock—and the moment for decisive action is now.
