ABUJA — Prominent industrialist and President of Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, has called on the Federal Government to prioritize the development of a functional seaport in the South-East or South-South regions, arguing that establishing alternative maritime gateways would break Lagos State’s long-standing economic monopoly.
Speaking in a broadcast interview with BBC News Igbo, the billionaire businessman emphasized that the concentration of major port operations in Lagos creates artificial logistical bottlenecks and imposes heavy transport costs on businesses operating across Eastern Nigeria.
Maduka noted that natural waterways extending from Abia State through to Oguta Lake in Imo State possess the geographical potential to accommodate modern port facilities. Recalling his early business operations, the Coscharis founder shared that he previously routed imported goods through the Port Harcourt seaport, illustrating that regional port decentralization is both historically viable and economically necessary.
He asserted that creating viable port alternatives would compel Lagos ports to modernise and compete for patronage rather than taking commercial dominance for granted. Maduka added that visionary national leadership is required to unlock Nigeria’s full economic potential by expanding critical infrastructure across all geopolitical zones.
