MARINE NAVIGATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY STANDARD COMPLIANCE IN NIGERIAN SEAPORTS: CHALLENGES AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

This study examined marine navigational infrastructure and safety standard compliance in Nigerian seaports, with a focus on Apapa Port Complex. Specifically, it assessed the effects of navigational equipment availability, radar and communication functionality, GPS/electronic chart use, maintenance of aids to navigation, and staff competence on accident prevention and compliance with port safety regulations. The study was guided by two hypotheses and adopted a quantitative survey design. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 360 personnel and stakeholders involved in marine navigation, vessel traffic management, safety regulation, and navigational support services at Apapa Port Complex, using both paper-based and Google Forms instruments. Secondary data were obtained from relevant literature and port-related materials. The data were analysed with multiple linear regression at the 0.05 significance level. Findings showed that the combined predictors explained 74.6% of the variance in accident prevention and 49.8% of the variance in compliance with port safety regulations. The ANOVA results confirmed that both regression models were statistically significant, while the coefficient estimates showed that all predictors positively influenced the two dependent variables. Maintenance of navigational aids and staff competence emerged as the strongest predictors of accident prevention, while navigational equipment availability, GPS/electronic chart use, and aid maintenance were key determinants of regulatory compliance. The study concludes that marine navigational infrastructure and human competence are critical to safer vessel operations and stronger adherence to safety standards in Nigerian seaports. It recommends improved equipment provision, regular maintenance of navigational aids, continuous staff training, upgraded communication systems, and stricter enforcement of port safety regulations to enhance operational safety and reduce accidents.