The Federal Government is considering handing over the Baro River Port in Niger State to private operators to revive its operations, citing inadequate funds for dredging the River Niger and providing critical road and rail connections.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this on Tuesday when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Challenges and Prospects of the Baro River Port in Abuja.
The committee was constituted following a motion calling for a national engagement to address the facility’s long-standing operational setbacks.
Oyetola explained that although the port was commissioned in 2019, it has remained largely dormant due to poor navigability on the River Niger and the absence of supporting infrastructure.
“When the port was conceived, one would have expected that the necessary infrastructure for smooth operations should have been provided. Unfortunately, that was not the case,” he said.
He noted that his ministry, which was established less than two years ago, inherited the project from the previous administration but has been hampered by limited resources. Plans to revitalise the facility include capital and continuous dredging, construction of road and rail links, and attracting credible private partners through transparent concession agreements.
According to him, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) intends to dredge up to 2,000 kilometres of inland waterways to maintain the depth required for year-round operations.
“Our goal is to transform Baro from a dormant facility into a thriving inland gateway. We are working with the Ministries of Works and Transportation to deliver an integrated framework that combines infrastructure, operational efficiency, and private sector participation,” Oyetola said.
He described the port as a strategic hub for agricultural value chains, capable of feeding cargo into the Onitsha, Lokoja, and Warri ports, boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and reducing pressure on the country’s highways.
NIWA Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, recalled that the port dates back to 1908 when it was established by Lord Lugard to facilitate movement of agricultural produce and livestock between northern and southern Nigeria. He said the facility, built at a cost of ₦3.56 billion—₦3.35 billion of which has been paid—already has the necessary equipment in place. Discussions are ongoing to concession it to private operators to attract fresh investment.
Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, added that a rail link to connect Baro to the national network is planned, but funding remains a major obstacle. He urged lawmakers to make adequate budgetary allocations for the project.
Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, Rep. Saidu Abdullahi, said the panel’s mandate was to facilitate, not investigate, the activation of the port. He announced that the engagements would be followed by a national stakeholders’ forum to mobilise political, technical, and financial support.
He described the strategic importance of Baro Port to trade, regional integration, and economic diversification as “immense and non-negotiable” and said the committee would conduct an on-site inspection to determine immediate steps for its activation.
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