Nigeria’s multiple levies and charges in the aviation sector—over 70% higher than in Ghana—are crippling the country’s export competitiveness and pushing local exporters to use Ghana as a logistics hub, according to transport planner Dr. Oluwasegun Ademusa.
Dr. Ademusa, Group Managing Director of Widescope Group of Companies and CEO of Global Transport Policy, explained that Nigeria’s high taxation and security challenges significantly inflate freight costs, making exports from the country less viable.
“The factors that influence freight are many,” he said. “Number one, when you overtax the operators, both foreign and indigenous, it will be integrated into freight costs. Number two, if your corridor is prone to security risks, the insurance companies will impose a higher premium, and this increases charges.”
He noted that Ghana’s logistics planning gives it an edge over Nigeria, citing examples where Nigerian exporters prefer to transport agricultural produce like yam to Ghana for onward shipment. “If we fly our yam from Nigeria to Ghana, nobody will be able to buy it. By the time you integrate the freight component, it becomes too expensive. But when you rail it or roll it to Ghana and fly from there, it is still competitive,” he explained.
Dr. Ademusa further emphasized that freight charges are directly tied to cargo volumes, pointing out that Nigeria’s minimal export capacity results in airlines leaving with half-empty aircraft, thereby raising freight costs.
In contrast, Ghana consolidates cargo by air and sea, ensuring balanced inbound and outbound volumes.
“They already have the shipment waiting before the vessel berths or the aircraft lands,” he said. “So, they can project, inform the airline in advance, and secure space. This balance keeps their freight charges reasonable compared to ours.”
Calling for urgent reform, he advised the Nigerian government to shift focus from multiple taxes to increasing trade volumes.
“It is not the number of levies and taxes that will yield revenue, but turnover. If operators and government can work together to build capacity, Nigeria can compete effectively,” he concluded.
