Pre and Post Concession Trend Analysis of the Operational Performance of Warri Port: 2000 to 2020 Era

The study analyzed the pre and post concession trend of the operational performance of the Warri Port between year 2000 and 2020. The targeted performance index was annual cargo throughput used in the assessment of the port’s productivity for the two periods – pre-concession (2000 to 2005) and post concession (2006 to 2020) which marked ceding of port operations by the Government to private operators known as concessionaires. Two sets of research questions, objectives and hypotheses were formulated and tested with the use of moving averages of time series analytical tools. Annual Cargo Throughput was obtained from the Statistics Department of NPA Warri as secondary data. The analysis revealed that the concession actually had a positive effect on the productivity of the Warri port - the four-yearly pre-concession periods of 2000 to 2003 and 2004 to 2007 had 2,765,545 and 2,749,943.5 tonnes, respectively, while the four-year Average further declined to 2,389,847.5 tonnes in 2008. The concession then produced an astronomical growth from 6,366,055 tonnes in 2014 to 8,521,277 tonnes in 2020. Thus the 2 null hypotheses were rejected indicating that there was significant growth in cargo throughput which translated to increased productivity. It also shows that the port was more efficient in terms of infrastructural development and operational management. The study recommended curbing insecurity in and around the port to encourage importers’ patronage; dredging the Escravos bar to allow passage for larger vessels to the port; and aggressive marketing aimed at reaching out to port users by participating in local and international maritime trade fairs to showcase the potentials and safe operating environment of the port.