Impact Of Covid'19 Pandemic On Ports Operations In Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose: This research investigated the impact of Covid’19 Pandemic on Port operations and Economic Growth of Nigeria.

Design/Methodology: The work used quarterly series secondary data obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics, National Centre for Disease Control and the Port Liner Shipping Connectivity index between July 2019 to February 2022. The study employed real gross domestic product (proxy for economic growth), cargo throughput, ratio of Covid’19 infection to life expectancy rate and Port liner shipping connectivity index as variables and tested the parameters using ordinary least square regression and ranked co-integration tests at the 5% chosen level of significance.

Findings: The result of this investigation showed a positively significant impact of the Covid’19 Pandemic on Nigeria’s Port operations while it is negative but significant economic growth, and concludes that there exists a positive and significant impact of Covid’19 on port activities measured by cargo throughput and gross registered tonnage.

Research Limitations: This research used only Nigeria time series quarterly data generated during the first, second and third wave of the pandemic in Nigeria.

Practical implications: If we allow a 1% rise in port activities measured by GRT and CRTP, Covid’19 cases will rise by 0.000112%, leading to 0.0177% decline in ship/port influx measured by the port liner shipping connectivity index and a corresponding 0.0138% decline in the country’s GDP.

Social implications: Social distancing, regular washing of hands, and other general health-protection procedures should be encouraged in port infrastructures and operations.

Originality: This research adds to current literature and ties sensitive port operations indicators novel to this study in investigating Covid’19 Pandemic impact on Port operations in Nigeria.