Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised the Federal Government’s decision to approve $1 billion for the modernisation of Apapa and TinCan Island Ports in Lagos, warning that Nigeria cannot build a fair and productive economy by concentrating maritime development in one city.
Obi said the approval, though aimed at improving efficiency and technology, exposes a recurring pattern of national infrastructure being disproportionately focused on Lagos under Bola Tinubu.
He argued that the persistent neglect of other major ports such as Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne undermines economic growth, job creation, and national cohesion.
In his words, “Nigeria’s infrastructure investment remains excessively concentrated in Lagos, often at the expense of other strategic ports such as Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne.”
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Obi stated that over 70 per cent of port activities occur in Lagos, leading to “chronic congestion, high demurrage costs, environmental degradation, and delays that discourage investors and inflate the cost of goods nationwide.”
He added that developing other ports “is not merely an infrastructural necessity but a national imperative.”
According to him, “Revitalising Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne would decongest Lagos, reduce shipping costs, attract investment, create employment, and stimulate regional economies.”
Obi said countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria have decentralised port development and are reaping economic benefits because they refuse to rely on one maritime hub.
He explained that Vietnam operates over 300 ports, Indonesia has more than 100, South Africa runs eight major ports, and even Ghana ensures its two ports are geographically balanced.
“No country seeking to maximise its blue economy concentrates all maritime activities in a single city,” Obi warned.
He maintained that reform must go beyond construction and include “accountability, transparency, and equity for all Nigerians.”
He called for anti-corruption measures, reduced bureaucracy, technology-driven operations, and a paperless port system that would strengthen global competitiveness.
“If prudently managed, the Lagos modernisation project could become a model for broader maritime transformation,” Obi said.
He stressed that Nigeria must rebuild “guided by equity, integrity, and a clear vision to transform our nation from one of consumption to one of production and shared prosperity.”
Social media users echoed his concerns, accusing the Tinubu administration of deliberately centralising development in Lagos while other regions are left abandoned.
@RealOlaudah wrote, “What Nigeria needs at this fragile moment of its existence is a statesman-president, not one with a primordial outlook as is the case today.”
@TheSerahIbrahim said, “Having over 70% of the nation’s business and cargo coming via one city is already cancerous.”
Critics argued that years of concentrated federal funding in Lagos make comparisons with other states unfair and deepen regional inequality.
Some supporters of the government, however, claimed the port upgrade is only the beginning of a wider maritime reform that would later extend to other regions.
They insisted that Lagos remains the most strategic point for maritime investment due to its existing infrastructure and international trade routes.
Despite the defence, Obi’s comments have reignited debate over whether Tinubu’s administration is building a national economy or just expanding Lagos.
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