CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF PORT CONGESTION IN NIGERIA: THE WAY FORWARD

Abstract

The paper examined the causes and effects of port congestion in Nigeria. The descriptive research design was deplored just as the population of the study was 489 comprising dockworkers and managers from the six major seaports in the country, which also formed sample size. Two objectives and commensurate research questions and hypotheses guided it. A well-structured instrument entitled “Causes and Effects of Port Congestion Questionnaire (CEPCQ)” was prepared for the study. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were analyzed using z-test statistical tool at 0.05 level of significance with aid of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) Version, 23. The result found that technical inefficiency, freight volume, quay crane equipment, physical and soft infrastructure, customer clearance procedure, container cargo dwell time, vessels and truck turnaround time and integrated IT system are among the causes of port congestion. It was recommended among others that the federal government in collaboration with port stakeholders should train dockworkers with requisite information communication technology as this will enable them to improve on their skills and contribute to the growth and profitability of ports. Also, there should be periodic check by government on the ports to ensure better operations.