Isaac Samuel
The House of Representatives on Tuesday inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to review and appraise the performance of concessionaires operating federal air and sea port terminals and related shipping activities from 2006 to 2025.
The investigation came amid concerns over revenue generation and operational efficiency.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, said the committee was set up nearly two decades after the Federal Government concessioned key national assets to private operators to attract investment, modernise infrastructure, improve service delivery, and reduce the operational burden on the state.
Abbas represented by Loari Kwamoti, stated that the review was not meant to undermine legitimate private sector participation but to exercise the legislature’s constitutional oversight role to safeguard national interest and ensure accountability.
According to the Speaker, Nigerians deserve to know whether these concessions have delivered value for money, complied with contractual obligations, enhanced national competitiveness, protected public assets, and contributed meaningfully to economic growth, employment, and revenue generation,”
He said the committee’s scope includes examining the terms and conditions of concession agreements from 2006 to 2025; assessing revenue flows and remittances to the Federal Government;
Chairman of the committee, Akinlayo Kolawole, noted that the panel was constituted in response to growing national concern over the management, transparency, and performance of concession arrangements governing Nigeria’s ports, airports, terminals, and related logistics facilities.
Kolawole described these national assets as sovereign economic gateways, critical to trade, mobility, national security, and economic development.
He said the committee would engage key stakeholders, including the Nigerian Ports Authority, concessionaires, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, terminal operators, shipping companies, banks, and other relevant agencies.
“Our objective is to ensure that the Federal Government derives maximum benefits from port and terminal operations, that all due revenues are captured, and that operational lapses or inefficiencies are addressed,” he said.
