Nigeria’s logistics and transport sector, valued at more than $60 billion and described by experts as one of the country’s most underutilised economic engines, is at a critical inflection point, according to industry leaders, lawmakers, and academics who have called for sweeping policy reforms to prevent further economic losses and position the sector for national wealth creation.
The call was made at a high-level stakeholders’ engagement: the Courier and Logistics Management Institute (CLMI) International Conference and Investiture 2025 in Lagos.
Together, the discussions underscored a unified message: Nigeria’s logistics backbone is deteriorating, under-regulated, and underexploited, despite its massive potential to drive the nation’s economic growth.
A Trillion-Naira Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight
Distinguished Professor Simon Emeje, executive Chairman of the Courier and Logistics Management Institute (CLMI), revealed findings from recent research showing that the global logistics market is valued at $60 trillion, with Nigeria accounting for at least ₦3.5 trillion ($60 billion) in market value.
According to him, the sector, spanning courier services, transportation, warehousing, trade distribution, and supply chain operations, could generate up to 50% of Nigeria’s annual budget if properly harnessed.
“This is an industry with monumental economic value,” Emeje said. “But Nigeria remains one of the few countries out of 192 that has not separated logistics operations from regulation. This lack of professional separation is stifling growth and must be urgently reformed.”
Emeje warned that many logistics firms have collapsed due to poor regulatory frameworks, unfriendly business environments, and lack of strategic policy direction.
He urged the government to reposition the sector as a key contributor to national productivity, particularly in the light of shifting global trade dynamics and the evolving African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Sector Nearing a Breaking Point – CLIMI, Lawmakers Warn
In Abuja, CLIMI and members of the National Assembly painted an alarming picture of deteriorating logistics infrastructure and policy inconsistencies that continue to drive up the cost of doing business.
They listed chronic challenges:
- Poor road networks
- Port congestion and bureaucratic bottlenecks
- High energy and fuel costs
- Insecurity on major trade corridors
- Limited access to financing
- Lack of a National Logistics Masterplan
According to CLIMI, the absence of a central logistics blueprint leaves operators without coordination and exposes the country to inefficiencies that competitors in Africa are aggressively correcting.
“Logistics should now be treated as a national economic emergency,” the organisation warned, noting that Nigeria risks losing significant competitiveness within AfCFTA as other African countries upgrade their logistics ecosystems to attract trade flows.
Digital Transformation is Accelerating, But Nigeria Risks Lagging Behind
Sen. Aliyu Bilbis, chairman of the Lagos conference, highlighted the sector’s enormous role in national development, stressing that logistics is the “foundation on which other industries grow.”
He estimated the total value of Nigeria’s logistics and courier sector at ₦25 trillion, contributing at least 4.5% to the nation’s GDP.
He emphasised that mobile computing, cloud technologies, IoT, and real-time analytics are transforming logistics worldwide, and Nigeria must embrace these technologies to remain competitive.
“In the digital economy, logistics has become the bedrock of security, enterprise growth, and national competitiveness,” he noted.
Ports, Infrastructure, and the Push for Modernisation
Delivering the keynote address, Senator Adebayo Adeyeye, chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), represented by Bosun Oladele, reiterated the criticality of trade logistics, with over 80% of Nigeria’s international trade moving through maritime channels.
Adeyeye highlighted the NPA’s transformation agenda:
- Port digitisation and e-customs integration aimed at achieving 100% digital operations
- Infrastructure modernisation including access-road rehabilitation, port expansion, and dredging for deeper draft vessels
- Stronger Public-Private Partnerships to increase logistics capacity beyond coastal ports
He called for financial institutions to design specialised funding instruments for the logistics and maritime sectors, and urged universities and training institutions to expand logistics and supply chain education.
Push for an Independent Logistics Regulator Strengthens
In both Lagos and Abuja, stakeholders emphasised the need for an independent regulatory body to streamline policies across ports, borders, airports, and economic corridors.
This regulator, they argued, would eliminate overlapping mandates, harmonise processes, reduce delays, and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and global trade.
Mr. Okey Uba, President of the Association of Nigeria Courier and Logistics Operators (ANCO), said the fight for such a regulatory body has been ongoing for years and must now become a top priority.
A Sector Poised for Transformation, If Government Acts Now
The conferences concluded with a shared warning: without urgent reforms, targeted investment, and regulatory overhaul, Nigeria’s logistics sector will continue to undermine economic expansion, discourage investors, and place Nigeria at a disadvantage within AfCFTA and global trade systems.
Yet, the experts remain optimistic.
With the right policies, infrastructure upgrades, and digital adoption, Nigeria could transform its logistics sector into a major generator of national wealth, capable of powering job creation, lowering the cost of goods, boosting exports, and positioning Nigeria as a trade leader in Africa.
Some photos from the CLMI International Conference and Investiture 2025:
