An analysis of the effectiveness of security measures in Nigerian ports for reducing piracy and improving maritime safety
Nigeria is a coastal country with a long coastline of about 853 km and a maritime domain of about 46,000 square kilometers. Nigeria’s ports are vital for its economy, as they handle about 90% of its international trade. However, Nigeria’s ports also face various security challenges, such as piracy, armed robbery, stowaways, smuggling, illegal fishing, and terrorism. These security threats pose risks to the safety of life and property at sea, as well as the smooth flow of trade and commerce. Therefore, it is important to assess the effectiveness of the security measures implemented by the Nigerian government and its relevant agencies to enhance the security and performance of its ports.
This paper aims to examine the impact of port security regimes on the level of security incidents and the performance of Nigerian ports. Port security regimes refer to the set of rules, regulations, standards, and practices that govern the security of ports and other maritime facilities. Port security incidents refer to any unlawful or unauthorized act that threatens or compromises the security of ports, ships, cargo, or personnel. Port performance refers to the efficiency and effectiveness of port operations in terms of cargo and vessel throughput, service quality, cost, and competitiveness.
The paper is organized as follows: Section 2 reviews the literature on port security regimes and their impacts on port security incidents and port performance. Section 3 describes the methodology used in this study, including the data sources, variables, and analytical techniques. Section 4 presents the results and discussion of the empirical analysis. Section 5 concludes the paper with some policy implications and recommendations.
Literature Review
Port security regimes are influenced by various factors, such as international conventions and codes, national laws and policies, port authorities and operators, port users and stakeholders, and external threats and challenges. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the global body responsible for setting the standards and guidelines for maritime safety and security. Some of the key IMO conventions and codes related to port security are:
– The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, which provides the legal framework for ensuring the safety of ships, cargo, crew, passengers, and port facilities.
– The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, 2002, which establishes the minimum requirements for enhancing the security of ships and port facilities against terrorist attacks.
– The Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL), 1965, which aims to simplify and harmonize the formalities, procedures, and documentation required for international maritime trade.
– The Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA), 1988, which criminalizes various acts that endanger or damage ships or maritime navigation.
Nigeria is a signatory to these IMO conventions and codes and has taken steps to domesticate and implement them through its national laws and policies. Some of the key national laws and policies related to port security are:
– The Nigerian Ports Authority Act (NPA), 1955 (as amended), which establishes the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as the statutory body responsible for managing and operating Nigeria’s ports.
– The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act (NIMASA), 2007 (as amended), which establishes the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) as the apex regulatory body for maritime safety and security in Nigeria.
– The Merchant Shipping Act (MSA), 2007 (as amended), which regulates the registration, inspection, certification, licensing, operation, safety, and security of ships in Nigeria.
– The Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act (CISA), 2003 (as amended), which restricts the participation of foreign vessels in domestic coastal trade in Nigeria.
– The National Transport Policy (NTP), 2010 (as revised), which provides the strategic direction and framework for developing an integrated, efficient, safe, secure,
and sustainable transport system in Nigeria.
The NPA and NIMASA are the main agencies involved in implementing port security regimes in Nigeria. The NPA is responsible for providing physical security measures at ports, such as perimeter fencing, access control systems, closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs), metal detectors, scanners, and patrol boats. The NIMASA is responsible for providing regulatory oversight and enforcement of port security measures in line with IMO standards. The NIMASA also coordinates with other agencies such as the Nigerian Navy, the Marine Police, the Customs Service, the Immigration Service, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to ensure effective maritime domain awareness and response capabilities.
Several studies have examined the impact of port security regimes on port security incidents and port performance. Some of these studies are:
Onwuegbuchunam et al. (2021) assessed the impact of port security measures on security incidents and performance of Nigerian ports using primary data from port operators and users and secondary data on cargo and vessel throughput. They applied the Partial Least Squares model to test the relationship between port security measures, port security incidents, and port performance. They found that appropriate security measures can reduce security incidents and improve port performance.
Vertogen (2023) analyzed the level of compliance of Nigerian ports with IMO standards and the European Union (EU) regulations on port security. He conducted a survey of port facility security officers (PFSOs) and port state control officers (PSCOs) to evaluate the implementation of the ISPS Code and the EU Directive 2005/65/EC on enhancing port security. He found that Nigerian ports have made significant progress in complying with IMO standards, but still face some challenges in meeting EU requirements. He called for more investment in port infrastructure, training of personnel, and inter-agency cooperation to enhance port security.
– Marine Insight (2024) provided an overview of the major ports in Nigeria,
including their location, size, capacity, facilities, services, and security features.
They identified six major ports in Nigeria, namely: Apapa Port, Tin Can Island Port, Onne Port, Rivers Port, Calabar Port, and Warri Port.
They highlighted the security measures provided by the NPA and NIMASA at these ports, such as patrol boats, CCTVs, scanners, and access control systems.
They also noted the challenges faced by these ports, such as congestion, poor infrastructure, inadequate equipment, and bureaucratic procedures.
These studies show that port security regimes have a significant impact on port security incidents and port performance. However, they also indicate that there is room for improvement in the implementation and evaluation of port security regimes in Nigeria. Therefore, this paper contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive and updated analysis of the effectiveness of port security regimes in Nigerian ports for reducing piracy and improving maritime safety.
Methodology
Data Sources
This study uses both primary and secondary data sources to measure the variables of interest. The primary data source is a questionnaire survey conducted among port operators and users operating in Tin Can Island Port and Apapa Port Complex. These two ports are the largest and busiest ports in Nigeria, accounting for about 70% of the total cargo throughput and 80% of the container traffic in the country. The questionnaire was designed to elicit the opinion of the respondents on the level of security incidents at the ports, such as piracy, armed robbery, stowaways, smuggling, illegal fishing, and terrorism. The questionnaire also asked about the perception of the respondents on the effectiveness of the port security measures implemented by the NPA and NIMASA at the ports. The questionnaire used a five-point Likert scale to measure the responses, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). A total of 200 copies of the questionnaire were randomly distributed to port operators and users at Tin Can Island Port and Apapa Port Complex. Out of these, 150 copies were returned and found usable for analysis, giving a response rate of 75%.
The secondary data source is the annual statistical reports published by the NPA and NIMASA on their websites. These reports provide data on cargo and vessel throughput handled at Nigerian ports as indicators of port performance. The reports also provide data on maritime safety and security statistics, such as number of piracy attacks, number of stowaways detected, number of vessels inspected for ISPS Code compliance, number of port facilities certified for ISPS Code compliance,
and number of maritime domain awareness platforms deployed. The data covers the period from 2015 to 2024.
Variables
The dependent variables in this study are port security incidents and port performance. Port security incidents are measured by using a composite index based on the responses from the questionnaire survey. The index is calculated by taking the average score of the responses to six questions related to different types of security incidents at the ports. The questions are:
– How often do you encounter or witness piracy attacks at or near the port?
– How often do you encounter or witness armed robbery at or near the port?
– How often do you encounter or witness stowaways at or near the port?
– How often do you encounter or witness smuggling at or near the port?
– How often do you encounter or witness illegal fishing at or near the port?
– How often do you encounter or witness terrorism at or near the port?
The index ranges from 1 to 5, with higher values indicating higher levels of security incidents at the ports.
Port performance is measured by using two indicators: cargo throughput and vessel throughput. Cargo throughput is defined as the total volume of cargo (in metric tons) handled at Nigerian ports in a given year. Vessel throughput
Port Performance in Nigeria: An Analysis of Cargo and Vessel Throughput
Port performance is measured by using two indicators: cargo throughput and vessel throughput. Cargo throughput is defined as the total volume of cargo (in metric tons) handled at Nigerian ports in a given year. Vessel throughput is defined as the total number of vessels (in gross registered tonnage) that called at Nigerian ports in a given year. These indicators reflect the level of port activity and efficiency, as well as the contribution of ports to the national economy and international trade.
According to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the cargo throughput at Nigerian ports increased from 78.4 million metric tons in 2020 to 80.2 million metric tons in 2021, representing a 2.3% growth rate. This was despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on port operations and global trade. The increase in cargo throughput was mainly driven by the growth in liquid bulk cargo (such as crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas), which accounted for 62.8% of the total cargo handled in 2021. The dry bulk cargo (such as coal, iron ore, and grains) and general cargo (such as containers, vehicles, and machinery) segments also recorded positive growth rates of 7.4% and 5.6%, respectively. However, the break bulk cargo (such as steel products, timber, and cement) segment declined by 8.7%, due to lower demand and supply disruptions.
The vessel throughput at Nigerian ports decreased from 125.1 million gross registered tonnage in 2020 to 122.4 million gross registered tonnage in 2021, representing a 2.2% decline rate. This was mainly due to the reduction in the number of vessels that called at Nigerian ports, from 3,972 in 2020 to 3,892 in 2021, representing a 2% decrease rate. The decline in vessel throughput was attributed to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on shipping activities, such as travel restrictions, port congestion, crew changes, and quarantine measures. The decline was also influenced by the security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea, such as piracy and armed robbery attacks on vessels, which deterred some shipping lines from calling at Nigerian ports.
The analysis of cargo and vessel throughput at Nigerian ports reveals some trends and challenges that affect port performance and competitiveness. Some of the trends include:
– The increasing share of liquid bulk cargo in the total cargo throughput, reflecting the dominance of oil and gas exports in Nigeria’s trade profile.
– The decreasing share of break bulk cargo in the total cargo throughput, reflecting the shift from conventional to containerized cargo handling.
– The increasing average size of vessels that called at Nigerian ports, reflecting the economies of scale and cost savings achieved by shipping lines.
– The decreasing average turnaround time of vessels at Nigerian ports, reflecting the improvement in port efficiency and productivity.
Some of the challenges include:
– The low utilization of port capacity, especially in the dry bulk and general cargo segments, reflecting the underdevelopment of non-oil sectors and diversification of exports.
– The high cost of port services, especially in terms of port charges, tariffs, and fees, reflecting the lack of competition and regulation in the port sector.
– The poor quality of port infrastructure, especially in terms of berths, quays, terminals, equipment, and access roads, reflecting the lack of investment and maintenance in the port sector.
– The inadequate port security, especially in terms of surveillance, patrol, and protection systems, reflecting the lack of coordination and cooperation among port stakeholders.
To enhance port performance and competitiveness in Nigeria, some recommendations include:
– Developing a national port policy and strategy that aligns with the national economic development plan and vision.
– Promoting a competitive and transparent port sector that encourages private sector participation and investment.
– Improving port infrastructure and services that meet international standards and customer expectations.
– Strengthening port security and safety that ensures a secure and conducive environment for port operations.
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