Urgent Action Needed for Baro Inland Port's Revival

The Baro Inland Port in Niger State, commissioned in 2019, is a crucial national infrastructure project aimed at transforming agricultural trade and reducing transportation costs. Despite its strategic importance, the port remains underutilized due to inadequate road access, insufficient dredging, and incomplete rail connectivity.

The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation outlines that the facility includes a 150-metre quay and a 7,000-square-metre cargo stacking yard. In August 2025, Bola Oyebamiji, Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, reported that the project was awarded at ₦3.56 billion, with approximately ₦3.35 billion already paid.

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee, chaired by Saidu Musa Abdullahi (Rep, Bida/Gbako/Katcha), expressed concerns that without urgent rehabilitation of access roads and waterways, the port could become a wasted investment. Poor access roads have significantly delayed transport times, creating barriers to trade and economic opportunity.

A functional Baro Port could enhance the movement of agricultural produce and other commodities to markets.