By Mercy Aikoye
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has unveiled plans to sustain Nigeria’s export growth through port infrastructure modernisation, improved cargo processing and stronger partnerships with private terminal operators.
The Managing Director of the NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this while speaking at the ongoing Annual World Ports Conference in London, organised by the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH).
Dantsoho said Nigeria’s exports had increased by 25 per cent in the last two years, attributing the growth to Federal Government reforms and improved collaboration between the authority and terminal operators.
He said the expansion was not limited to oil and gas exports, noting that agricultural and manufacturing commodities, including cocoa and cashew, had also recorded increased volumes.
According to him, the NPA established Export Processing Terminals to facilitate cargo processing locally and ensure compliance with export standards before goods leave the country.
“We have got about four of those in Nigeria where we collaborate with the terminal operators, with the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies that have a stake,” he said.
The NPA boss said the reforms had also strengthened Nigeria’s position to benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), particularly through increased intra-African trade and partnerships with countries such as Morocco and South Africa.
He added that the authority’s efforts had contributed to improved port performance, with Nigeria securing two positions among the top 20 ports in the latest World Bank global ports ranking. He also said revenue generated across the country’s ports had quadrupled.
Dantsoho further disclosed that the Federal Government was investing $1 billion in the expansion and modernisation of Apapa Port, with private-sector participation expected to support the project.
He said the NPA was also advancing digital transformation through partnerships to develop a port community system and a single-window platform to improve coordination, cargo clearance and operational efficiency.
