NPA says $1bn modernisation is creating investment opportunities
By Uzor Odigbo
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has deployed Export Processing Terminals and dedicated cargo transit corridors to eliminate logistics bottlenecks, reduce export cargo turnaround time and boost Nigeria’s non-oil export trade.
The Managing Director of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this while addressing participants at the 40th edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair, where he outlined the Authority’s ongoing reforms to improve port efficiency and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in international trade.
Dantsoho said the Export Processing Terminals were designated and integrated to provide one-stop processing, documentation and pre-gating services for export cargo, significantly reducing turnaround time and streamlining export operations.
He explained that the Authority had also operationalised dedicated transit corridors in collaboration with security and traffic management agencies to ensure seamless movement of export cargo to the ports.
According to him, the initiatives are designed to improve non-oil export logistics, empower small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) to expand their businesses, enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian products in global markets and increase the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
He described non-oil exports as a national priority as Nigeria intensifies efforts to diversify its economy, stressing the need for the country to move from being predominantly a consuming nation to becoming a manufacturing and exporting powerhouse.
The NPA boss said the transformation of the nation’s maritime sector was not accidental but the outcome of purposeful policy execution and strategic leadership.
He noted that the Authority, as the gateway to the Nigerian economy, occupied a strategic position in connecting local businesses with international markets.
On the Authority’s infrastructure development programme, Dantsoho said its $1 billion Port Modernisation Drive was creating significant opportunities for local and international investors to participate in the transformation of Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure.
He identified the rehabilitation and expansion of port infrastructure across Apapa, Tin Can, Calabar, Rivers, Delta and Onne as key areas requiring strategic partnerships and private sector investment.
Other investment opportunities, he said, include the deployment of digital and smart port solutions such as automated gates, Port Community System, Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) and artificial intelligence-driven logistics.
He also listed the development of dry ports and multimodal logistics infrastructure, including inland container depots, rail-port linkages and cold-chain systems, as areas open to investment.
According to him, green port initiatives, particularly renewable energy, eco-friendly equipment and sustainable waste management, also form part of the modernisation programme in line with global decarbonisation goals.
Dantsoho assured prospective investors that the NPA was committed to maintaining a transparent and business-friendly environment, supported by regulatory stability and attractive returns on investment.
He said the ongoing port modernisation, with the support of the Federal Government and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, would position Nigerian ports for improved efficiency, export-led prosperity and greater global competitiveness.
The NPA chief urged participants, international trade delegations and investors at the Lagos International Trade Fair to explore the investment opportunities available in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.
He said the theme of the 40th edition of the fair, “40 Years of Trade, Growth and Global Connection,” reflected the Authority’s mandate of connecting Nigeria’s domestic enterprises with international markets.
Dantsoho reaffirmed the NPA’s commitment to keeping Nigeria connected to the world through sustained port modernisation, improved trade facilitation and the development of an efficient maritime sector.
