The Onitsha River Port in Anambra State marked a key milestone earlier this month with the berthing of the first barge of the 2025 season, MV ZUPITOR/MV RB ALASKA, signaling renewed activity and optimism for inland port operations in Nigeria.
Chris Mbonu, General Manager of Universal Elysium Limited, the port’s concessionaire, expressed excitement over the development but warned that the seasonal nature of the port’s activity—driven by fluctuating water levels of the River Niger—continues to limit its full potential.
“The port is functional and ready to work 365 days a year. But without consistent dredging of the River Niger, we are forced to operate only when the waterway allows us—essentially turning a national asset into a seasonal stopgap,” Mbonu said.
He stressed that the lack of consistent dredging and channel maintenance, not infrastructure or demand, is the major obstacle. As a result, port operations peak only during the rainy season when the river’s water level is navigable for vessels.
Mbonu appealed to the federal government, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to prioritize year-round dredging of the River Niger. Doing so, he argued, would allow seamless vessel movement between Nigeria’s coastal and inland commercial centers, significantly reducing transport costs, easing highway congestion, and boosting investor confidence.
He also pointed to the broader benefits, including:
• Improved logistics for agriculture and agro-export;
• Increased industrial and warehouse investment;
• Opportunities in tourism and recreation;
• And enhanced Nigeria’s export capacity via coastal ports.
“With proper dredging, Onitsha River Port can become a year-round, multimodal commercial hub. The infrastructure is in place, the demand is evident, and the economic benefits are far-reaching. What we need now is strategic and consistent investment,” he added.
Mbonu’s comments highlight the urgent need to treat inland water transport as a critical component of national economic growth, unlocking the vast potential of underutilized inland ports like Onitsha.
