The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is facing opposition from stakeholders in the maritime industry over its reported plans to cancel Cargo Survey (CS) contracts awarded in 2019. The contracts, which were due to expire in 2029, were legally awarded for a duration of 10 years.
According to a letter dated September 2025, from NPA’s Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, the cancellation is justified by “operational needs and efficiency.” However, the firms involved have not defaulted on their obligations. The Maritime Integrity Movement, a group of industry stakeholders, has criticized the NPA’s move, stating that the authority neither engaged the organizations in discussion nor accused them of underperformance before initiating the cancellation.
Lucky Abegunde, convener of the Maritime Integrity Movement, noted that this is not the first time the NPA has attempted to scrap the agreements. Previously, the NPA had sought a ‘No Objection’ from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to re-procure the services through selective tendering, but the request was rejected. The BPP warned against abuse of restricted procurement and directed the NPA to embrace open competitive bidding in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
The Maritime Integrity Movement also accused the NPA of deliberately withholding invoices and creating procurement uncertainties to weaken existing contracts. The group warned that terminating contracts midstream without breach would expose the federal government to litigation and increase costs. The movement has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate the attempted cancellation and reallocation of the cargo survey contracts, which it describes as a “fraudulent attempt.”
The development has significant implications for the maritime industry and the federal government. The NPA’s actions may undermine the confidence of stakeholders in the authority’s ability to manage contracts and regulate the industry. The investigation called for by the Maritime Integrity Movement may shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the attempted cancellation and reallocation of the contracts. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the NPA will respond to the opposition from stakeholders and the call for investigation.
