This study examined seaport cargo operations: Issues and challenges in Nigeria as a developing economy. Cross-sectional/survey design was used for the study. Data were sourced by using secondary sources. The study reviewed extant literature to generate data for the investigation. Based on the exploratory and qualitative study done so far, the study revealed that the main issues and challenges affecting the seaport cargo operations in Nigeria as a developing economy are: Decline in the number of vessels calling at ports in Nigeria as compared to neighbouring countries, issue of poor data base for activities going on in the ports, poor computerization of port operations data, port congestions, high container dwell time, high turnaround time of vessels and trucks, inadequate port facilities (berths), lack of standard port facilities leading to inefficiency and poor logistics report, lack of capital, poor incentives for investors and poor integrated transport system, poor innovations in technologies, inadequate shipping management skills, paucity of port infrastructure, inadequate super-structures, interference of government on the operations of the ports causing bureaucratic bottlenecks in decision making process, corruption, non-abiding to international conventions, rules and regulations on port operations, insecurity in the waterways. Other challenges confronting seaport cargo operations in Nigeria, inadequate equipment; dominance of foreign vessel and deficiency in export and lack of regulatory oversight. Conclusively it imperative in this study that seaport cargo operations constitute the hallmark of key maritime activities done in ports. Therefore, the study recommends that: Government should set up monitoring agencies to enforce compliance among all the operators managing the cargo handling business at the port; Government and the private sector under public private arrangement should raise adequate capital to build maritime infrastructures and superstructures in the seaports in Nigeria and the maritime institutions, that is, the Maritime Academy, Oron and Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko should be funded to improve their infrastructural base for learning, research and training of professional manpower for the maritime sector
