The Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has called for urgent regulatory harmonisation and structured reforms in Nigeria’s barge operations sub-sector.
SEREC’s intervention comes in the wake of public statements by the leadership of the Barge Operators Association of Nigeria -BOAN, highlighting challenges faced by operators, including what has been described as regulatory “arm twisting” by relevant authorities.
In a press statement,the Head of Research, SEREC, Dr. Eugene Nweke, while acknowledging the critical role of regulatory agencies in ensuring safety, compliance, and environmental protection, SEREC emphasized the need for a balanced and coordinated approach that does not inadvertently stifle a sector widely regarded as essential to port efficiency and national logistics.
“The barge sector has evolved into a strategic logistics backbone supporting operations around and . Any disruption to its efficiency carries significant implications for trade facilitation and economic stability,”stated SEREC
It noted that the current situation reflects broader structural challenges within the sector, including overlapping regulatory mandates, multiplicity of charges, access constraints, and rising operational costs. These issues, if left unresolved, could reverse gains made in decongesting port corridors and enhancing cargo evacuation efficiency.
The Center stressed that while concerns raised by operators deserve careful attention, regulatory authorities must also be supported in enforcing safety standards and maintaining order within inland waterways operations.
“This is not a question of choosing between regulation and operations; it is about achieving smart regulation that enables efficiency while safeguarding standards ,” it added.
SEREC highlighted as limitations in the sector to include: the absence of a unified national framework governing barge operations; overlapping roles among multiple regulatory bodies; increasing compliance costs affecting operator sustainability.
It further called for the need to strengthen safety without imposing abrupt or disruptive measures
It advocated the establishment of One-Stop Clearance System to usher in
a unified digital platform for barge approvals, documentation, and compliance processes.
It further called for transparent and standardised charges by
consolidating multiple levies into a clearly defined and publicly accessible tariff regime.
While seeking phased safety compliance framework to
Implement structured timelines to allow operators meet safety standards without undue disruption,
it also advised for institutionalised stakeholders engagement to
create a formal dialogue platform involving regulators and operators to address emerging issues for mutual interests.
SEREC
is a leading maritime policy think-tank dedicated to research, advocacy, and strategic advisory in Nigeria’s maritime, logistics, and Blue Economy sectors.
