Port concession as a catalyst of labour productivity and workforce performance at the eastern nigeria seaports

This study examined the pre and post-concession effects of port reform on labour productivity and workforce conditions in the Eastern Nigeria Seaports. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, with a study population of 2,840 port workers. Using the Taro Yamane formula at a 5% margin of error, a sample size of 399 respondents was selected through a random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and presented using frequency counts, percentages, weighted mean scores, and standard deviation. On the other hand, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis H teststatistics were employed for the analyses. The findings revealed that port concessioning significantly improved perceived labour productivity with 84. 6% of respondents agreeing that productivity was lower before concessioning compared with the post-concession period (weighted mean = 4. 28). Similarly, 82. 5% of respondents indicated that cargo handling was slower before concessioning, while 86. 1% agreed that post-concession operations improved vessel turnaround time (weighted mean = 4. 33). The Mann-Whitney U test confirmed significant differences between pre and post-concession productivity indicators (p < 0. 05). The Kruskal-Wallis test ststatistics revealed significant differences in perceptions across employment categories regarding labour restructuring and welfare conditions (p < 0. 05). The study concludes that port concessioning has enhanced operational productivity through improved management, technology adoption, and performance monitoring. Therefore, it recommended a balanced concession framework that promotes efficiency and appropriate work support systems.