FG pledges to revive Baro River Port with dredging, new infrastructure

Adegboyega Oyetola, minister of marine and blue economy, says the federal government is committed to transforming Baro River Port in Niger state into a vibrant inland gateway.

Speaking on Tuesday before the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on stakeholders’ engagement on the challenges and prospects of the port, Oyetola admitted the facility has struggled to operate at capacity since its commissioning in 2019.

He blamed the situation on poor supporting infrastructure and navigability issues along the River Niger.

“When the issue of the port was being conceived, one would have expected that the required infrastructure should have been provided,” Oyetola said.

“The ministry was created barely two years ago, so we inherited it from the previous administration. Part of what we are trying to do is to ensure a lot of dredging, but we are hampered by scarcity of funds.”

The minister outlined plans to overcome the challenges, including continuous dredging, developing road and rail connections, attracting private sector operators through concessions, and instituting transparent governance systems.

He said the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) plans to dredge up to 2,000 kilometres of inland waterways to maintain year-round operations at Baro Port.

Oyetola noted the port’s strategic location to link agricultural value chains and serve as a feeder to Onitsha, Lokoja, and Warri ports, adding that it could boost Nigeria’s trade competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and ease pressure on the highways.

Bola Oyebamiji, NIWA managing director, recalled that the port was first established in 1908 by Lord Lugard to ship agricultural produce and livestock between northern and southern Nigeria.

He said the facility is fully equipped but has been held back by the lack of dredging and inadequate road and rail connectivity.

Oyebamiji added that arrangements are underway to concession the port to private operators to attract investment and ensure effective operations.

Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, minister of transportation, said a rail line is being developed to connect Baro Port to the rest of the country but cited funding constraints, urging lawmakers to make adequate budgetary provisions.

Saidu Musa Abdullahi, chairman of the ad-hoc committee, said the panel’s role is to facilitate the full operationalisation of the port, not to investigate.

He announced that the committee will conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the facility on Saturday.