The continued dominance of foreign operators in Nigeria’s territorial waters could pose a significant threat to the country’s internal security and maritime sovereignty. A former Director of Shipping Development and Cabotage, Boniface Igwe, raised the concern in his forthcoming book, Cabotage Law and Practice.
Igwe argued that the increasing influence of foreign interests in Nigeria’s coastal shipping activities could undermine the country’s ability to protect its maritime interests. He said restricting coastal shipping activities to indigenous operators was not only an economic policy but could also serve important national security objectives.
According to him, countries across the world have established protected markets to enable domestic businesses to develop capacity in strategically important sectors. He noted that such interventionist policies were driven by economic, political and security considerations. Igwe said Nigeria should therefore pay greater attention to the structure of its maritime industry and the level of foreign participation in coastal trade.
The former shipping director stressed the importance of the maritime industry to Nigeria’s economic development.
He explained that the sector provides an important connection between the Nigerian economy and the oil and gas industry, which remains a major source of national revenue. Igwe maintained that excessive foreign control of coastal shipping could weaken Nigeria’s capacity to benefit from the economic opportunities available within its territorial waters. He also linked the issue to the broader question of developing indigenous maritime capacity.
According to the forthcoming book, available statistics indicate that Nigeria generates an average annual cargo traffic of about 152 million metric tonnes. The volume, he said, translates to approximately $5 billion in freight earnings annually. However, nearly 90 per cent of the earnings are reportedly captured by foreign-controlled businesses.
Igwe argued that the situation highlights the need for stronger policies aimed at increasing indigenous participation in coastal shipping. He maintained that developing local operators would not only retain more maritime revenue within the Nigerian economy but also strengthen domestic capacity in a sector considered critical to national development.
The concerns come amid continued efforts to implement Nigeria’s cabotage framework, which was designed to promote indigenous participation in the country’s coastal and inland shipping activities. Igwe’s position places the foreign dominance of coastal waters within a broader debate over Nigeria’s economic interests, maritime sovereignty and national security.
