By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Rehabilitation and Operationalisation of the Baro Inland Port has taken a significant step towards reviving the long-abandoned national asset. The committee’s chairman, Hon. Saidu Abdullahi, outlined a bold mandate to transform decades of unfulfilled promises into tangible action.
The Baro Inland Port has a rich history, dating back to the colonial era. It served as a strategic logistics hub, transporting agricultural produce from northern Nigeria via rail to Baro and then by inland waterways to the coastal ports. However, the post-independence focus on oil revenues and road infrastructure led to a sharp decline in inland waterway investments.
Hon. Abdullahi emphasized the need to wake up the sleeping giant that is the Baro Inland Port. “This committee is tasked with converting the endless talk over the years into real action. Baro Inland Port is a sleeping giant, and our job is to wake it,” he said. The committee aims to restore the port’s historical role as a vital economic artery in Nigeria’s logistics network.
The committee has identified three major components that need to be addressed to make the Baro Inland Port operational. These include the dredging of the capital channel, ensuring navigability for vessels along the river; rail connectivity between Baro and Minna, linking the port to the larger national rail grid; and access roads to the port, providing viable land routes for cargo movement.
Hon. Abdullahi drew from international examples, citing China’s Yangtze River Port and the Mississippi River Port system in the United States. “These examples are proof that inland waterways can be the backbone of national logistics. If countries like China and the U.S. have built prosperity around such systems, Nigeria too must rise to the occasion,” he said.
The committee is well-equipped to deliver on its mandate, with members drawn from all six geopolitical zones. Hon. Abdullahi expressed confidence that the committee’s work will not only revamp the Baro Port but also serve as a national model for how to successfully plan and execute infrastructure revival.
Former Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, noted the importance of understanding the full scope of the project and its regional significance. “This project is not just for Niger State; we’re speaking as representatives of Nigeria. When discussing the Baro Port, it’s important to be clear that it’s not just for Niger or even Nigeria. The project has the potential to serve the wider Northern African sub-region,” he said.
The committee’s work-plan was adopted at the meeting, and a technical committee was commissioned to help achieve its mandate. With the committee’s determination and the support of the media, the Baro Inland Port is expected to become a major economic hub in Nigeria, driving growth and development in the region.
