CARGO THROUGHPUT AND NIGERIA MARITIME GDP IN THE PRE-CONCESSION AND POST-CONCESSION ERA

This study evaluated the impact of the cargo throughput on the Maritime GDP in Nigeria between 1996 to 2016 using a simple regression analysis. The result indicated that the Maritime GDP depends on the volume of inward and outward cargo in the ports by 68%. The statistical relationship identified was given by: MTGDP=264+0.000073CT+ε. Also, the performance of the Nigerian ports in terms of the cargo throughput and the maritime transport Gross Domestic Product during and after the concession was analyzed and result showed that, the Nigerian ports had a better average annual growth rate of the cargo throughput during the pre-concession era but better maritime GDP average annual growth rate in the port-concession era. Under the period in review, the AAGR for cargo throughput in pre-concession and post-concession were, 13% and 5% respectively. While the AAGR for the maritime GDP before and after the concession was 6% and 10% separately