Shipping has to do with water transportation. Several goods such as cars, clothing, foodstuffs, fruits, drinks, equipment and so on are exported and imported into the country. I know that the authority majorly in charge of shipping in Nigeria is the Nigerian Ports Authority. I also know that the ports in Lagos are located in Apapa. Apapa is a key area in Lagos and the roads leading to that area is very bad, the Federal government needs to work on the roads since the Lagos state government has said it is a federal road. Compared to the shipping industry of other countries, I think the Nigerian shipping sector still needs to be worked on. Since we now have a new minister of transport, I think he should look into all the areas the sector needs to work on to make it comparable to developed countries and West Africa as a whole.
Kelvin Ogheneovo
Ogba, Lagos
I don’t know much about the shipping sector in Nigeria but I know that shipping has to do with any goods and services transported by ship. We ship goods like cars, clothes, petroleum products locally and internationally, foodstuffs like frozen foods and automobiles. I also know that the shipping sector is affected by some factors like government regulations.
Evelyn Eromonsele
Port Harcourt, Rivers State
The Shipping sector illustrates relative density of commercial shipping in the world oceans and it involves some important aspect such as freight transport which is the physical transport action of commodities and merchandise of goods. Several goods are shipped in and out of the country and I think this is one area that the government has to place emphasis on.
Emeka Castro
Dopemu, Lagos State
In my own understanding, I think shipping is a major means of transporting goods within and outside the country by sea. Although in terms of delivery of goods it is the slowest. I also know that the authority in charge of shipping in Nigeria is the Nigerian Port Authority. Awareness should be created in the Nigerian maritime sector as it has several opportunities in terms of creation of jobs which would help reduce unemployment in the country.
Emmanuella Davis
Ikeja, Lagos
The shipping sector is a broad one. Almost 90% of everything we buy arrives via ship; shipping is also the greatest mass transport. Compared to the energy expanded moving goods by train or trucks, shipping is far less than damaging than in terms of greenhouse gases released. The shipping industry is so big that if you added shipping to the list of the world’s populating countries, it would come in sixth place. Ships are incredibly big: the largest container can carry about 15,000 boxes. Shipping is also a big source of revenue.
Susan Ikegwu
Palm groove, Lagos
I don’t have any real idea about the sector. I just know about Tin can and Apapa wharf. I think more awareness should be created as most people don’t know much about the shipping sector.
Uche Martins Ogudo
Isolo, Lagos
Shipping is a major exporting and importing facility in the country amongst others. Products such as crude oil, minerals, clothing, food stuffs and other commodities are imported and exported from the country. The shipping sector is controlled by the Nigerian Port Authority.
Egwolo Okposio
Ogba, Lagos
I don’t really know much about the sector. I know it has to do with export and import of goods via water transport. It could also be a fragile business with lots of money involved in it. I feel more awareness and opportunities should be created in the sector. I would also like to be enlightened on the sector as every knowledge counts.
Hilda Bakare
Surulere, Lagos
Shipping is the livewire of international trade and Nigeria is positioned to be the commercial hubs for Africa. The shipping industry in Nigeria is estimated to bring in revenue of N7trillion annually if properly harnessed. A developed shipping sector would bring about a boost in international trade and development in port linked flow but due to the multiplicity and levels of various port officials and private port exorbitant charges, the Nigeria ports are now abandoned for ports in Togo and Benin Republic.
Nigeria should draw a lesson from Malaysia who gained independence same year as Nigeria and currently does 95% of its trading via seaborne means.
Deborah Omoyibo
Sapele, Delta State
The shipping sector has been somewhat neglected over the years. Nigeria’s shipping sector has been said to be capable of generating N7trillion annually but I don’t know if that goal has been met yet or surpassed. In order to tap revenue from this sector, i think the minister of transportation should work hand in hand with the regulatory bodies in the sector to make the Nigerian shipping industry meet certain standards which can be compared to others in West Africa and the world as a whole.
Ngozi Uche
Agbado, Lagos
I think it has to do with the way ships are been controlled in the country. Shipping is about water transportation. Several goods and people are transported from one place to another via the sea.
Gilbert
Abeokuta, Ogun State
Shipping is about water transportation. Various goods such as clothing, foodstuffs, cars and so on are transported via the sea. I think it is also the easiest way to bring in contraband goods into the country. I heard Cotonou ports are much better than the Nigerian ports which is not good for the country but don’t know how true that is. I also know that certain goods such as clothing, foot-wears, bags, poultry products, groundnut oil, rice and so many other products are smuggled into Nigeria. I constantly hear of such smuggled products coming in regularly through the Idiroko and Seme border but what is the government doing to stop such happenings because the frozen chicken especially the one called ‘Orobo Chicken’ is not good for the health due to the chemicals injected into it to make it that big. I just hope the government regulatory bodies put things in place in the Nigerian shipping sector. I also think more awareness and opportunities should be created in the sector as it has the potential of reducing unemployment in the country.
Mary Ayodele
Iyana Ipaja, Lagos
To be candid i haven’t been to the port before. But the little I can tell you is that there is no improvement at our seaports. Corruption is one major factor hindering the advancement of our ports. The road leading to the ports are pathetic, the days to clear goods are outnumbered. You must know someone to get things done faster. I can’t say if the port has a portal or a website for tracking goods. I think the Nigeria Port Authority should put some things into consideration like the parks for the trailers, good logistics and effective tracking systems.
Ope Ogunade
Ogba, Lagos
I don’t know much about the sector but my concern is with regards the ports. We should have more ports in other parts of the country like Calabar and automated systems to reduce bureaucracy in the shipping process. The sector actually has potential for more job creation than most other sectors. Maritime education should also be made more advertised and awareness made on newer ways of operating d maritime business.
Godfrey Meme
Owerri, Imo State
The Shipping sector has to do with container and goods coming from abroad. The people in the shipping sector are in charge of anything that leaves and enter into the country. From my opinion, I can’t say if the Nigerian shipping sector is faring well or not because I don’t know much about the sector but I believe we are nowhere near developed countries such as the US, UK, Holland and others. I also feel more awareness should be created as most youths are unaware of the happenings in the shipping sector.
Chibuzor
Ikeja, Lagos
In my view, shipping is a major means of transportation via the sea. Goods are shipped in and out of the country. The shipping sector in Nigeria is yet to be fully harnessed unlike the shipping sector of developed countries, for example we don’t ship our crude oil with our local ships yet which is not a good thing. Sea piracy has also reduced compared to past years so that is an improvement in the sector. I have also read about agencies such as the Nigerian Port Authority and NIMASA in the newspapers but don’t know much about them. I have also been to Apapa where the ports are located in Lagos and I must say the roads needs to be work on by the Federal government as the trucks are really causing a lot of traffic jam in that area. I just hope since we now have a new minister of works he would work on the road networks leading to Apapa. More so, with the way the price of crude oil is dropping these days, I think government needs to focus more on the shipping sector because it is capable of generating lots of revenue for the country.
Daniel Edward
Abule Egba, Lagos
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