LION OF THE PORT CORRIDOR: Former NPA Port Manager, Sylvester Egede Shines At Retirement

–Publishes Book on How Tin Can Island Port Gridlock was Dismantled

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Former Port Manager of the Tin Can Island Port Complex under the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Chief Sylvester Egede has written a book on how the notorious Mile2-Tin Can Port gridlock was dismantled under his watch, and sanity restored up till date.

The Book titled; “Lion of the Port Corridor–Strategy is Everything” was launched on Friday 12th December, 2025 at the Surburb Lounge, Victoria Island Lagos and was graced by creme-de-la-cream of the Nigeria maritime and blue economy sector.
While speaking at the Book Launch, Chief Sylvester Egede recounted how he was able to deploy strategy is resolving the gridlock that bedevilled the port access corridor for about 12-years and has defiled so many federal government committees.

Speaking on his chosen slogan, “Strategy is Everything” Chief Egede said “I have been a strategic person from childhood, I dont know why, but God made it so.
What made me to write this book is the fact that, out there, people talk about common sense, but I keep saying it that sense is not common, what people call common sense is ephemeral, you need to think deep, God has blessed us with gifts, but if you dont look deep, you will not be able to find yourself.

“The most important thing that made me to write this book is the clearance of the gridlock between Mile 2 and Tin Can Island Port corridor, it was very simple, we didn’t shoot a gun before asking the truckers to leave, they voluntarily left.

“What Nigeria has been using committee upon committees, I only used a strategy and the strategy was SWOT Analysis, Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats, if you read the book, it is all listed there” he told the stakeholders.

The book reviewer, a former General Manager at NPA, Capt Ihenacho Ebubeogu described the Author as one of the few unique practitioners whose carrier traversed various port evolution and development in Nigeria.

According to Capt Ebubeogu, Chief Sylvester Egede is a highly cerebral worker who joined NPA when the port model was classified as a service port.

“He survived the port reform era that led to downsizing NPA workforce from 16,000 workers to mere 4,000 people.
Since he came out on the other end, he became one of the members of the change agent team.

“He was a pioneer member of the port concession regime which earned NPA its present status of landlord models.
He participated in instituting the ISPS Code, I remembered I was the Chairman.

“He was there during the Covid 19 impasse, he saw NPA operations changing from manual to ICT applications, he was there at the heat of Single window advocacy, he witnessed the emergence of the first deep seaport in Nigeria and witnessed how some elements in the general business environment in the country drastically changed the organisational structure of NPA.

“He witnessed the traffic gridlock that bedevilled Apapa and Tin Can Island Port corridor, and when it was the appropriate time, the Lion of the Port corridor roared, and the Tin Can-Mile 2 traffic gridlock disappeared.
He has called us here today to asert that he is indeed the Lion of the Port Corridor” Capt Ebubeogu stated.

Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Dr Abubakar Dantsoho who was represented by Mr. Fatai Oladipo
General Manager MD’s Office, lamented that since his retirement from the Authority, it has been difficult to get a replacement for Chief Sylvester Egede, adding that his retirement from NPA has left a deep lacuna.

“It dawned on the Managing Director that it would be difficult to find a replacement for him.
This lion that we are seeing, if it was possible, we would have kept the lion in our office up till now, but unfortunately the family would not agree with us, and he would have to move on in Life.

“But the challenge we have right now is that, there are some assignments that has been given to him by the Managing Director which up till now we are still searching for replacement on who would continue that task, we are yet to get a replacement for him on these assignments. So, even before he retired, we have started missing him” he said.

The Book launch event was graced by dignitaries including Dr Taiwo Afolabi who was represented by Capt Ibrahim Olugbade, Terminal operators including representative of Chief Cletua Ibeto, Managing Director ABTL Terminal, Akin Omole, Managing Director of Eko Support Terminal, Mr Seni Edu, Mrs Aisha Ali Ibrahim Former WILAT President.

Others are; Former Director General of NIMASA, Barr Temi Omatseye, Mr Bolaji Sunmola, Chairman Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC) Chief Remi Ogungbemi, Chairman of Association of Maritime Truck Owners Association (AMATO) and Managing Director of Truck Transit Park Limited, Mr Jamal Onwubuariri among other notable faces.