ANALYZING THE LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN PROCESSES IN PORTS AS A PERFORMANCE LEVER FOR NIGERIAN CEMENT AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES

This study investigates how logistics and supply chain processes at Nigerian ports affect the production and profitability of cement and allied products. Key factors examined include port to-factory transport costs, distances, administrative clearance costs, and time spent at seaports. Using a longitudinal survey of 90 Nigerian Exchange-listed companies between 2010 and 2019 (with 66% response rate), multiple regression analysis was conducted in SPSS.Findings show that port-to-factory transport costs and distances have a strong positive impact on profitability (β=0.475 and β=0.641), explaining 72.2% of profit variation. Conversely, administrative clearance costs and time have only marginal effects on profits (β=0.006 and β=0.188). The results indicate that while customs procedures minimally influence profits, transport efficiency from port to factory significantly drives financial performance.The study highlights the importance of optimizing inland logistics and port centric supply chains, suggesting that improving transport networks can transform inefficiencies into a sustainable competitive advantage for Nigerian cement manufacturers.