By Mercy Gadia
The House of Representatives on Tuesday opened a sweeping probe into the performance of concessionaires operating Nigeria’s air and sea port terminals, calling for transparency, accountability and value for money nearly two decades after the deals were signed.
The Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Kolawole Davidson Akinlayo, stated this on Tuesday during an investigative hearing with stakeholders at the National Assembly in Abuja, describing the exercise as a critical phase in the committee’s assignment.
Akinlayo said the probe would assess the effectiveness of the port concession regime introduced in 2006, which was aimed at improving efficiency, attracting private investment and boosting infrastructure development in the aviation and maritime sectors.
“This session marks a critical phase in the committee’s assignment. Today, we shall engage directly with terminal operators whose roles have been central to the concession regime introduced nearly two decades ago,” he said.
He noted that the policy was designed to deliver measurable economic benefits to the Federal Government and Nigerians, stressing that the committee would determine whether those objectives had been achieved.
“The committee’s mandate is clear: to assess performance, determine value for money, identify gaps, and ensure that the intended objectives of these concessions have been met in a transparent and accountable manner,” Akinlayo added.
He urged concessionaires to provide factual and verifiable accounts of their operations, investments and compliance with concession agreements, emphasising that the integrity of submissions would guide the committee’s final recommendations.
“We expect full cooperation, candour, and professionalism from all parties,” he said.
Also speaking at the hearing, the Executive Director, Ports and Cargo Terminal at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Lukeman Olaruwanju, highlighted significant investments made by terminal operators in equipment and infrastructure.
Olaruwanju disclosed that operators had exceeded some of their initial equipment obligations, noting that while only 20 trucks were originally required, operators currently deploy about 125 trucks for operations.
He added that investments also covered reach stackers, forklifts, terminal tractors and empty container handlers, with combined values running into tens of millions of dollars.
According to him, operators have also undertaken infrastructure upgrades, including quay reinforcement and renovation of maintenance facilities.
He further noted improvements in operational efficiency, deployment of information technology systems, cybersecurity upgrades and human capital development.
The committee is expected to continue its hearings with other stakeholders as it works towards a comprehensive report on the impact of port concessions on Nigeria’s economy.