Nigeria’s South-East region continues to suffer from systematic infrastructural neglect, particularly in national gas pipeline infrastructure and maritime trade via seaports. While other regions benefit from multi-billion-dollar investments in pipeline expansion, road networks, and port modernization, the South-East remains economically sidelined, leading to stunted industrial growth, high business costs, and limited trade opportunities.
This is not a coincidence, it is a deliberate exclusion strategy that must be challenged and corrected.
This article is a wake-up call to the South-East Governors, Senators, Federal Representatives, and political leaders. What else should be discussed at the South-East Governors’ Forum meetings if not these critical infrastructural injustices? What else should be priority discussions at the NASS South-East Caucus meetings if not the economic survival of our region? Our representatives must rise up, fight this exclusion, and demand fair infrastructural development.
With 2027 elections fast approaching, the people of the South-East must battle to install leaders who will reject self-service and work for the collective good. The time for docility, political passivity, and silence is over. The time for action and accountability is now.
1. The Exclusion of South-East from National Gas Infrastructure
Nigeria is blessed with over 206.53 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, making it the largest reserve holder in Africa. However, the South-East is largely excluded from the gas pipeline infrastructure, despite its industrial potential and proximity to gas-producing regions.
Gas Pipeline Network: Who Benefits and Who is Left Out?
A review of the Nigerian Gas Master Plan (NGMP) shows disproportionate allocation of gas pipelines:
The South-West (Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, and Oyo) enjoys supply from the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS).
The North (Kaduna, Kano, Abuja, and Jos) benefits from the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project.
The South-South (Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers) has multiple gas pipelines supporting refineries and industrial zones.
The South-East (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, and Imo) has NO major gas pipeline projects, leaving businesses to rely on costly diesel generators.
This deliberate exclusion has:
Increased costs for South-East manufacturers, forcing many to relocate or shut down.
Stifled industrialization in Aba, Onitsha, and Nnewi, despite their potential to be Nigeria’s manufacturing hubs.
Made it impossible for investors to set up gas-dependent industries in the region.
What Are Our Leaders Doing About This?
South-East governors and lawmakers should:
1. Demand the extension of the AKK pipeline to the South-East.
2. Propose a regional gas distribution framework, ensuring equitable access.
3. Lobby for industrial gas pricing incentives, reducing the cost of business in the region.
If South-East leaders continue to sit on the sidelines, the region will remain dependent on costly diesel, limiting its economic competitiveness.
2. The Neglect of Eastern Seaports: Economic Sabotage at Its Worst
Seaports are gateways to global trade, yet Eastern ports, including Calabar, Port Harcourt, and Onne, remain severely underdeveloped. Meanwhile, Lagos ports handle over 85% of Nigeria’s imports, leading to congestion, delays, and inefficiencies.
Calabar Port: 25 Years Without a Single Container Ship
According to Calabar Port Manager Olumati Festus, the port has not received a single container vessel in 25 years due to:
Lack of dredging: The Calabar channel remains at 5.2 meters, far below the required 9.5 meters for large vessels.
Poor road access: Moving cargo from Calabar to Akwa Ibom takes 4-5 hours due to deplorable roads.
Neglect in government funding: Lagos ports receive billions in upgrades, while Eastern ports are left abandoned.
The economic impact of this neglect is devastating:
Manufacturers in the South-East are forced to import via Lagos, adding 30-50% extra in logistics costs.
Traders must endure the Lagos port congestion, increasing delivery times from weeks to months.
The entire economy of the South-East suffers due to the federal government’s refusal to make Eastern ports viable.
Comparing Lagos vs. Eastern Ports
A Wake-Up Call to Our Representatives
What else should South-East Governors and NASS Caucus members be discussing if not the economic strangulation of the region?
Our leaders must rise up and demand action:
1. Insist on immediate dredging of Calabar Port to 9.5 meters.
2. Push for incentives to attract shippers to Eastern ports.
3. Secure funding for a railway link connecting Calabar, Onne, and Port Harcourt ports to the North and South-East.
4. Challenge discriminatory port policies that favor Lagos over the East.
If our leaders fail to act, the South-East economy will continue to be suppressed, forcing our businesses and industries into irrelevance.
2027 Elections: The Battle for Economic Liberation
The marginalization of the South-East is no longer a conspiracy, it is an economic reality backed by data, statistics, and decades of deliberate policy exclusion.
As 2027 approaches, the people of the South-East must rise up and demand accountability. We must:
Elect leaders who will fight for regional industrialization, not self-enrichment.
Install governments that prioritize infrastructure, economic fairness, and industrial growth.
Reject any candidate who refuses to challenge the status quo of economic suppression.
This is beyond politics, it is about the survival of an entire region. The South-East cannot afford to be silent while its industries collapse, businesses relocate, and ports remain unused.
The Time to Act Is Now!
This is a direct call to:
Governors of the South-East states (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo)
Senators and Representatives from the South-East in the National Assembly
Economic stakeholders, business leaders, and community influencers
What will you tell the next generation? That you sat idly by while the South-East was economically strangled? Or that you fought for its revival?
The choice is ours. A word is enough for the wise.
By Hon. Chima Nnadi-Oforgu
OBLONG MEDIA UNLIMITED 
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