By Suleiman Abdulmumin
The North Central Zone of Nigeria, with Kogi State at its epicenter, is on the verge of a massive economic transformation. Driven by a wave of multi-modal transport infrastructure projects, maritime and freight operations are experiencing unprecedented demand, positioning the region as the country’s primary inland logistics hub.
This shifting economic landscape took center stage last week Thursday following a strategic stakeholders’ meeting in Lokoja.
Speaking with TrueVerdict News, Alhaji Damisa Suleiman, Chairman of the Sesame Seeds Association, a prominent member of the Shippers Association, and a key maritime leader in Lokoja highlighted the immense, untapped opportunities waiting for freight and maritime operations, particularly within the Egbira business community and the broader state.
Kogi State’s unique geography has always made it a natural gateway, but recent intentional infrastructure investments are turning that potential into reality. The state is uniquely positioned where major road networks meet a developing intermodal network that includes functioning inland waterways linking the coast to northern hinterlands, and rail infrastructure designed to create a seamless connection from sea ports directly to inland dry terminals.
To support this, the construction of massive, climate-controlled agro-hub warehouses is underway to store and preserve cash crops like sesame seeds and cashew nuts for swift transit and export.
The biggest game-changer in this logistics web is the newly awarded Lokoja International Cargo Airport project in the Zariagi area. Designed with a massive 3.6-kilometer runway capable of handling heavy-cargo aircraft, the airport is being built to act as a major alternative to Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
For local freight operators, this means agricultural produce can be harvested in the North Central zone, processed, moved to the nearby agro-hub warehouses, and flown out to global markets within hours completely bypassing the notorious traffic gridlocks of coastal ports.
Alhaji Damisa noted that local freight operators and the Egbira business community are uniquely positioned to spearhead this boom.
He emphasized that the Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo-led administration has thrown its full weight behind the private sector, assuring investors of favorable policies, enhanced security along trade routes, and robust institutional support to ease the distribution of cargos to the Nigerian hinterland for easy hauling. With construction contracts already handed over to international engineering giants like CCECC, the infrastructure is moving rapidly from the drawing board to the ground. For Nigeria’s maritime and freight stakeholders, the message out of Lokoja is clear: the North Central is open for business, and those who invest early will command the future of Nigerian logistics.