Analysis of the effects of maritime clusters on hindtherland operations in Nigeria
Date
2024-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Abstract
The study was carried out to analyze the effects of the performance of selected port-based maritime clusters business components on hinterland operations in Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were among other things, to determine the determinant maritime cluster business component that contributes significantly to maritime sector Development in Nigeria; to model the effects of maritime cluster development on the shipping export and import capacities in hinterland locations in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and the federal Capital Territory, Abuja; and the determine the significant factors influencing the decision of maritime and allied firms, to locate operational basis in port-based maritime clusters in Nigeria. The study used a mixed research design method in which both survey methods involving the use of primary data sourced through the use of questionnaire as survey instrument, and quantitative research methods which involved the use of time series quantitative data on the shipping export and import capacities of each of the hinterland zones in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria were sourced from the Nigeria ports Authority Statistical reports, covering a time period of 19 years, were used. The statistical methods of principal component factor analysis (PCFA) and the log-linear multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data obtained. The findings of the study indicate that the offshore oil and gas maritime-cluster business component has Eigen values greater than 1 (5.904>1) and constitute the determinant maritime-cluster business component that significantly contribute to the development of the maritime sector in Nigeria over the years. The findings of the study also indicate that there is significant relationship between maritime-cluster development and the shipping export and import capacities of hinterland regions in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The result however indicate that, the North-East and Federal Capital territory hinterland regions each recorded zero shipping export operations over the period covered in the study. The findings of the study further reveal that the significant factors that contributes to the decision of firms to locate investments in maritime clusters in Nigeria include: Guaranteed security of investment, Favourable Government policy, The ease of administration and coordination of the business divisions of a firm from the cluster location, Reduced labour cost and access to professionals and Access to transport cum optimization of logistics and production cost, with each having Eigen values of 2.992, 2.244, 1p.241, 1.145, and 1.039. the policy implications of the findings were also discussed. It was recommended that, Government policies such as policies creating free trade zones in maritime regions and tax exemptions for new firms should be used to attract more maritime firms to locate in port-based maritime clusters in Nigeria. The significant relationship between maritime sector development, export and import capabilities of hinterlands in Nigeria,
suggest that the hinterlands can guarantee the achievement of higher output in the maritime sector if necessary investment is made by Government to improve the shipping export and import trade potentials of the hinterlands.
Description
This thesis is for the award of Doctor of Philosophy(PhD.) in Maritime Management
Keywords
Maritime-clusters, performance, hinterlands-operations, trade operations, Department of Maritime management Technology
Citation
Nwosu, E. N. (2024). Analysis of the effects of maritime clusters on hindtherland operations in Nigeria (Unpublished Doctoral Thesis). Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria