Nigeria risks losing international shipping traffic unless its ports urgently adopt green compliance measures, the National Association of Stevedoring Operators (NASO) has warned.
NASO President, Mr. Bolaji Sunmola, issued the warning on Thursday during the 2026 Dockworkers’ Day celebration in Lagos.
The event was organized by the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN), under the theme “Green Ports: Sustainable Practices for Dockworkers.”
Sunmola stated that the global maritime industry has reached a regulatory turning point that Nigeria can no longer ignore.
He pointed out that compliance deadlines will determine which ports remain competitive and which lose patronage from international shipping lines.
According to him, the International Maritime Organization’s revised greenhouse gas strategy calls for at least a 20% emissions reduction by 2030, with a target of net-zero emissions by 2050. This makes green compliance an operational necessity for Nigerian ports.
“Green compliance is now an operational requirement for every Nigerian port and stevedoring company,” he emphasized.
Sunmola stressed that Nigeria’s transition strategy must account for local realities, including power infrastructure deficits and persistent port congestion.
He highlighted the country’s abundant natural gas resources and labor-intensive port operations as factors requiring practical solutions.
The NASO president argued that operational efficiency remains the most effective green initiative available to the industry. Such measures require neither imported technology nor significant capital investment to produce environmental benefits.
“When stevedores reduce cargo dwell times, cut vessel anchorage waits, and minimize truck idling at gates, emissions decrease. The emissions not produced are the greenest of all,” he explained.
Sunmola reaffirmed NASO’s support for digital reforms aimed at improving port efficiency and sustainability, including the Eto Electronic Call-Up System, the National Single Window, and the Port Community System.
He noted that dockworkers, stevedores, and terminal operators are central to the successful implementation of these reforms.
He also warned that emissions from cargo-handling equipment—such as cranes, forklifts, and terminal tractors—remain a significant challenge across Nigerian ports.
NASO is willing to collaborate with the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to develop a realistic equipment upgrade roadmap supported by accessible financing, including the Green Climate Fund.
Sunmola urged the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and the Nigerian Ports Authority to embed binding green standards into port reforms. Every new infrastructure investment should include measurable environmental performance indicators, covering emissions reduction, equipment standards, waste management, and cargo dwell time targets.
Addressing dockworkers directly, Sunmola described them as the most critical participants in the industry’s green transition.
“You are not bystanders but key players in the green transition,” he said. “Your efficiency, proper equipment handling, and adherence to safety standards are green actions that protect both the environment and livelihoods.”
He emphasized that sustainability must also encompass workers’ welfare, safety, and long-term wellbeing.
Nigeria must seize the opportunity to develop ports that are efficient, environmentally responsible, and humane.
“Modernization without green performance standards is only half-complete. Our economy depends on ports that remain competitive in a carbon-conscious global trade system,” he stated.
The immediate past President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Mr. Adewale Adeyanju, also addressed the gathering through a representative. Adeyanju, represented by the union’s National Auditor-General, Mr. Eze Robert, commended SCAN for sustaining the Dockworkers’ Day celebration.
He cautioned against environmental reforms undermining workers’ welfare and employment security.
“The global transition to greener ports should not become an excuse for job losses, poor working conditions, or marginalization,” he warned. Adeyanju called for a “just transition” that balances environmental goals with workers’ rights, including increased training, skills development, job protection, social dialogue, and safe working conditions.
Earlier, SCAN President Moses Ebosele described the event’s theme as timely and relevant. He noted that the maritime sector is increasingly adopting environmentally responsible practices aimed at reducing carbon emissions and improving port efficiency.
“As the backbone of port operations, dockworkers must be equipped with adequate training, technology, and welfare support,” he said. “Empowering dockworkers is essential for achieving sustainable and greener port operations across Nigeria.”
