The House of Representatives has inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to commence a far-reaching investigation into port and airport concession agreements amid concerns over infrastructural decay, expired contracts and alleged failure of concessionaires to remit due revenues to the Federal Government.
The probe is being conducted by the Ad-hoc Committee on the Investigation and Appraisal of Federal Government Benefits from Concessionaires, following an oversight visit to ports and terminals by lawmakers in mid-2024 that exposed what were described as serious operational and contractual lapses.
Speaking in an interview, Chairman of the committee, Hon. Akinlayo Kolawole, said the inspection revealed alarming conditions at several facilities, including the absence of modern cargo scanning equipment, inadequate dredging and lack of significant infrastructure upgrades, despite clear obligations contained in the concession agreements.
Kolawole explained that the failure to deploy scanners has compelled customs officials to rely on manual inspection of containers, a practice he described as outdated and contrary to global best standards. He noted that the situation has contributed to congestion, prolonged cargo clearance delays and high operational costs at Nigerian ports.
He further disclosed that many Nigerian ports are unable to accommodate modern vessels due to poor dredging, forcing shipping lines to divert to neighbouring countries, particularly the Republic of Benin, from where goods are trans-shipped into Nigeria at additional cost to importers.
The committee chairman also revealed that several concessionaires are operating with expired lease agreements, some of which lapsed one or two years ago, yet continue operations under monthly rent arrangements. He described the practice as abnormal and in violation of existing contracts, raising serious concerns about accountability and transparency in the management of public assets.
Beyond infrastructure issues, Kolawole said the investigation would closely examine financial obligations under the concession regime, noting that preliminary findings suggest the Federal Government may not have received commensurate returns from the concessions between 2006 and 2025. He said the committee would scrutinise lease terms, remittances and statutory fees to determine the scale of revenue losses and recommend recovery where necessary.
He stressed that the committee’s mandate goes beyond revenue recovery to improving service delivery and ensuring value for money in the management of public infrastructure. According to him, the House will recommend the inclusion of stricter, performance-based clauses in future concession agreements to allow for swift termination where operators fail to meet agreed standards.
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To ensure effective enforcement of its findings, Kolawole said the committee has engaged key security and anti-corruption agencies, including the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He expressed confidence that the committee’s report would be acted upon once submitted to the Presidency, relevant ministries and the House of Representatives, adding that the ultimate objective of the investigation is to reposition Nigeria’s ports and airports to international standards, restore investor confidence and ensure the country derives full economic benefits from its strategic transport assets.
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