The Sea Empowerment & Research Center (SEREC) has warned that Nigeria’s growing exposure to drug trafficking through its seaports poses a serious threat to the country’s international trade reputation, economic competitiveness and investment prospects.
In its July 2026 Policy Bulletin released yesterday, SEREC said the continued use of Nigerian seaports as transit routes for narcotics could trigger stricter cargo inspections by destination countries, leading to longer clearance times, higher logistics costs and disruptions to legitimate trade.
The organisation cautioned that the exploitation of Nigeria’s maritime gateways by international drug trafficking syndicates could erode confidence in the country’s port system and raise its global maritime risk profile.
According to the report, the fallout extends beyond criminality to the country’s trade and economic interests. The bulletin stated that persistent attempts to use Nigerian ports as transit corridors for narcotics could undermine the country’s trade reputation, invite tougher inspections abroad, delay cargo clearance, deter investment and elevate its maritime risk rating.
SEREC noted that maritime drug trafficking also fuels other transnational crimes, including money laundering, organised crime, corruption and illicit financial flows, all of which weaken institutions, threaten national security and destabilise the economy.
To address the problem, the organisation urged the Federal Government to move beyond a seizure-based enforcement strategy toward an intelligence-led approach to prevention. It recommended deploying Artificial Intelligence-driven cargo profiling, expanding non-intrusive cargo scanners, strengthening container tracking systems, and deepening collaboration among the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other security agencies.
SEREC also called for full implementation of the National Single Window platform to improve information sharing, cargo monitoring and risk assessment across agencies involved in trade facilitation and border security.
The report said integrating technology with stronger inter-agency cooperation would significantly reduce criminal networks’ ability to exploit Nigerian ports while improving the efficiency of legitimate cargo movement.
SEREC stressed that Nigeria’s ports must remain gateways for legitimate international commerce rather than safe havens for transnational criminal enterprises, warning that proactive reforms are essential to protect trade, attract investment and safeguard the nation’s long-term economic security.
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