The Federal Government has unveiled plans to connect all seaports in the country by rail as part of a broader strategy to reduce logistics costs, ease congestion, and enhance trade efficiency across Nigeria’s maritime and transport sectors.
The initiative, which is being coordinated through the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, aims to integrate seaports with road, rail, and inland waterways to ensure smooth cargo movement from ports to inland destinations.
According to official reports, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had earlier approved a $45.3 million contract for the detailed feasibility and engineering design of a rail alignment linking the Badagry Deep Sea Port, Tin Can Seaport, Apapa Seaport, and Lekki Deep Sea Port. The rail corridor will extend from Badagry to Tin Can, Apapa, and Lekki, before linking Ijebu-Ode and Kajola, where it will connect to the national railway network under the Lagos-Kano-Maradi Railway Modernisation Project.
The Federal Government explained that the project would significantly reduce the cost and time of moving goods, minimize heavy truck traffic on major highways, and make Nigerian ports more competitive in regional and global trade.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, noted that the move aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s transport infrastructure and trade logistics framework through multimodal connectivity. He said the initiative would help “unlock the full potential of the maritime sector” and “enhance Nigeria’s position as the preferred trade hub in West Africa.”
Experts have described the move as a major step toward addressing the perennial challenges of port congestion, high transport costs, and inefficiencies in cargo evacuation. They added that the project, once implemented, will spur economic growth, improve port competitiveness, and attract investment in the logistics and shipping value chain.
While the current phase focuses on western seaports, the Federal Government says plans are underway to extend similar rail connectivity to eastern ports, including Port Harcourt, Onne, and Calabar, to achieve full national integration.
