Theory question 107
Nigeria: People and Economy(a) What is meant by the term hinterland?
(b) Highlight with specific examples, the importance of sea ports in the economy of Nigeria
(c) State any four problems of port development in Nigeria
Show the model answer
(a) The area served by a port, from which it gets its exports and to which it sends its imports
(b) Handle exports (crude oil from Bonny/Escravos, cocoa and rubber through Lagos/Apapa, Warri, Port Harcourt) and imports of machinery and goods; earn revenue and foreign exchange; employment; attract industries (e.g. around Apapa, Port Harcourt); growth of towns; link Nigeria with world trade
(c) Silting and sandbars needing dredging; congestion and delays; mangrove swamps and creeks making land access hard; inadequate equipment; poor management and corruption; few deep-water sites
Name real ports and what they handle.