Peterside urges media to drive accountability in Port sector
A former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has urged the media to intensify scrutiny of the nation’s ports to promote accountability and economic growth.
Peterside made the call on Tuesday in Lagos while delivering a keynote address at the 2026 NUJ Press Week, themed “Politics, Ports and Public Interest: The Media’s Catalytic Role in Driving Economic Growth in Nigeria.”
He said Nigeria’s ports should not be seen merely as gateways for cargo and revenue collection, but as critical economic infrastructure capable of driving industrialisation, boosting exports, attracting investment and creating jobs.
According to him, inefficiencies at the ports have direct consequences for Nigerians, contributing to higher prices of food, machinery and manufactured goods, while delays undermine business confidence and discourage investment.
Peterside said political governance influences port performance through regulation, institutional leadership, infrastructure development and coordination of agencies in the maritime sector.
He, however, cautioned against attributing every port delay to government failure, noting that global shipping was also affected by geopolitical conflicts, adverse weather, congestion and disruptions to international trade routes.
He challenged journalists to distinguish between policy failures and external shocks and to move beyond reporting official announcements to tracking measurable outcomes.
The former NIMASA boss called for sustained media attention to key performance indicators including cargo dwell time, vessel turnaround, cargo-clearance period, inspection delays, documented charges, export processing and concession performance.
He also advocated the publication of quarterly port-performance scorecards and urged journalists to track government contracts, concessions and public expenditure until outcomes were established.
Peterside further called for greater technical capacity among journalists covering the maritime sector, particularly in data journalism, maritime regulation, public procurement and international trade.
He noted that the reported 24.8 per cent increase in cargo throughput between 2024 and 2025 was significant, but cautioned that increased cargo volumes alone should not be interpreted as evidence of broader economic prosperity.
He urged the media to focus on how efficiently Nigeria’s ports enable businesses to produce, trade and invest, as well as their contribution to job creation and economic development.
