Logistics Security in Nigeria: Mapping Risks and Mitigation Practices Across Maritime, Road, and Energy Supply Chains (2011-2026)

Authors

  • Adeolu Gbadegesin Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria Author
  • Adebambo Somuyiwa Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18911272

Keywords:

logistics security, supply chain risk, maritime piracy, highway insecurity, pipeline vandalism, scoping review

Abstract

Logistics is a key tool for economic engagement and social sustainability, but in the Nigerian context, the flow of goods and people is constantly impacted by insecurity along ports, roads, and energy corridors. This paper integrates peer-reviewed literature on logistics security in Nigeria and Gulf of Guinea maritime routes, focusing on the translation of threats into operational impacts and the reported workable practices for mitigation. A scoping review methodology was used, and thirty sources were purposively sampled from 2011 to 2026 in logistics, transport security, maritime research, and risk management journals. The results of the synthesis show that maritime piracy and port security risks are still the most prominent in the literature, but highway kidnapping and corridor insecurity are increasingly reported as mobility shocks that undermine travel assurance, cause route deviations, and increase cost-to-serve. Energy supply chain risks, such as pipeline vandalism and oil theft, are constantly associated with environmental damage, safety events, and governance failures. In all areas, three sets of mitigation practices are consistently reported: (i) legal and institutional capacity building with interagency cooperation, (ii) visibility and surveillance technologies with intelligence sharing, and (iii) operational risk management practices by companies such as regular risk analysis, event reporting, and stakeholder relationship management. The paper presents an integrated framework that links threats, points of exposure, impacts, and performance outcomes, and proposes a research and policy agenda that could help improve the security and reliability of logistics in Nigeria

Author Biography

  • Adebambo Somuyiwa, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso

    Professor of Logistics,

    Department of Transport Management.

References

Akinyemi, Y.C. (2016). Port reform in Nigeria: Efficiency gains and challenges. GeoJournal, 81, pp. 681-697. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-015-9657-z

Anele, K.K. (2016). A study of the role of seafarers in combating piracy off the coast of Nigeria. WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs, 15, pp. 257-271. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13437-016-0111-y

Arksey, H. and O'Malley, L. (2005). Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(1), pp. 19-32. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616

Denton, G. and Harris, D. (2021). The impact of illegal fishing on maritime piracy: Evidence from West Africa. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 44(7), pp. 593-614. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2019.1594660

Denton, G. and Harris, D. (2022). Maritime piracy, military capacity, and institutions in the Gulf of Guinea. Terrorism and Political Violence, 34(2), pp. 405-425. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2019.1659783

Ehizuelen, M.M.O. (2025). Assessing the possible influence of maritime piracy on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Nigeria. Journal of Shipping and Trade, 10, p. 30. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41072-025-00215-1

Hatami-Marbini, A., Asu, J.O., Hafeez, K. and Khoshnevis, P. (2024). DEA-driven risk management framework for oil supply chains. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 95, p. 101996. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seps.2024.101996

Jacobsen, K.L. and Rasmussen, J.J. (2024). Piracy and the broader 'gun business' in the Niger Delta. International Affairs, 100(6), pp. 2603-2620. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae165

Johnson, F.I., Laing, R., Bjeirmi, B. and Leon, M. (2022). Examining the causes and impacts of pipeline disasters in Nigeria. AIMS Environmental Science, 9(5), pp. 636-657. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3934/environsci.2022037

Johnson, F.I., Laing, R., Bjeirmi, B. and Leon, M. (2023). The impacts of multi-stakeholders collaboration on management and mitigation of oil pipeline disasters in Nigeria. AIMS Environmental Science, 10(1), pp. 93-124. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3934/environsci.2023006

Liang, M., Li, H., Liu, R.W., Lam, J.S.L. and Yang, Z. (2024). PiracyAnalyzer: Spatial temporal patterns analysis of global piracy incidents. Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 243, p. 109877. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ress.2023.109877

Moura, J.V.C., Kolden, L. and Yang, Z. (2023). A dataset of maritime piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea from 2010 to 2021. Scientific Data, 10, p. 770. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02706-x

Nsikan, J., Micheal, R., Mercy, O., Adebukola, A., Briggs, I. and Inegbedion, D. (2023). Robust practices for managing maritime supply chain risks: A survey of Nigeria's seaports. The Asian Journal of Shipping and Logistics, 39(4), pp. 1-7. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajsl.2023.09.001

Nwalozie, C.J. (2020). Exploring contemporary sea piracy in Nigeria, the Niger Delta and the Gulf of Guinea. Journal of Transportation Security, 13, pp. 159-178. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12198-020-00218-y

Obodo, N.I. and Onota, E. (2025). The Abuja-Kaduna expressway, a transportation corridor under insecurity. Journal of Transportation Security, 18, p. 21. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12198-025-00309-8

Okafor-Yarwood, I. and Pigeon, M. (2021). Stable seas, unstable ports: The impact of piracy on maritime trade in the Gulf of Guinea. Maritime Economics and Logistics, 23(4), pp. 602-622. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41278-021-00203-3

Okoroji, L.I. and Ukpere, W.I. (2011). The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code: Its relevance and impact on port security in Nigeria. African Journal of Business Management, 5(31), pp. 12313-12319. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5897/AJBM10.1474

Okunsanya, L. and Azmat, M. (2025). Unlocking Nigeria's potential: Experts' opinion-based insights on the economic impact of logistics challenges. Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal, pp. 1-15. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/16258312.2025.2497310

Olutuase, V.O., Iwu-Jaja, C.J., Akuoko, C.P., Adewuyi, E.O. and Khanal, V. (2022). Medicines and vaccines supply chains challenges in Nigeria: A scoping review. BMC Public Health, 22, p. 11. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12361-9

Onuoha, F.C. (2013). Piracy and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea: Nigeria as a microcosm. Journal of the Middle East and Africa, 4(3), pp. 267-290. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/21520844.2013.862767

Onwuegbuchunam, D.E. (2018). Port governance in Nigeria: A review of policies and models. Logistics, 2(1), p. 6. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/logistics2010006

Oyewole, S. (2016). Suppressing maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Prospects and challenges. Australian Journal of Maritime and Ocean Affairs, 8(4), pp. 298-310. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/18366503.2016.1217377

Page, M.J., McKenzie, J.E., Bossuyt, P.M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T.C., Mulrow, C.D. et al. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, p. n71. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

Perouse de Montclos, M.-A. (2012). Maritime piracy in Nigeria: Old wine in new bottles? Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 35(7), pp. 531-541. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2012.684651

Peters, B.C. (2020). Nigerian piracy: Articulating business models using crime script analysis. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 62, p. 100410. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2020.100410

Schandorf, S.O. (2024). Reimagining counter-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Guinea: Lessons from the theory of infrastructure for coordination and information sharing. African Security Review, 33(4), pp. 403-419. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10246029.2024.2373110.

Thompson, S.T. (2025). Exploring banditry in Nigeria. Security Journal, 38, p. 28. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41284-025-00477-1 (Accessed: 11 February 2026).

Tricco, A.C., Lillie, E., Zarin, W., O'Brien, K.K., Colquhoun, H., Levac, D. et al. (2018). PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and explanation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 169(7), pp. 467-473. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850

Ugwuoke, C.O., Ajah, B.O., Akor, L., Ameh, S.O., Lanshima, C.A., Ngwu, E.C., Eze, U.A. and Nwokedi, M. (2023). Violent crimes and insecurity on Nigerian highways: A tale of travelers' trauma, nightmares and state slumber. Heliyon, 9(10), p. e20489. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20489.

Yercan, F., Cetin, O. and Conguloglu, R. (2026). The economic impact of piracy: A critical assessment of maritime security and trade disruptions in the Gulf of Guinea. Maritime Economics and Logistics. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41278-025-00344-1.

Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

Logistics Security in Nigeria: Mapping Risks and Mitigation Practices Across Maritime, Road, and Energy Supply Chains (2011-2026). (2026). Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18911272

Similar Articles

21-30 of 32

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.