The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has disclosed that Nigeria’s exports increased by more than 25 per cent in the last two years, attributing the growth to the Federal Government’s economic reforms and improved collaboration with port terminal operators.
Dantsoho made this disclosure while speaking at the Annual World Ports Conference in London, organised by the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH).
He said the increase was not limited to oil and gas exports, noting that shipments of manufactured goods and agricultural commodities, including cocoa and cashew, had also recorded significant growth.
According to him, Nigeria’s large population gives the country a competitive advantage over other countries in West and Central Africa, while recent reforms have contributed to increased cargo throughput and improved port efficiency.
He said, “For us in Nigeria, the most important thing is that we are seeing growth as a result of the policies we are implementing. Statistically, exports from Nigeria in the last two years have increased by 25 per cent.
“These exports are not mainly oil and gas. We are also recording growth in manufacturing and agriculture, with raw materials like cocoa and cashew experiencing increased volumes. This is to the credit of the partnership between the NPA and major terminal operators, particularly APM Terminals.”
The NPA boss said the authority had put measures in place to sustain the export growth, citing the establishment of Export Processing Terminals across the country.
He explained that the authority currently has about four such terminals, established in collaboration with terminal operators, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other relevant government agencies.
According to him, the initiative ensures that export cargo processing is completed locally before shipment, thereby reducing challenges relating to standards and compliance in international markets.
Dantsoho also said Nigeria was better positioned to benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through the reforms introduced by the present administration.
He noted that the reforms had strengthened investor confidence and enhanced Nigeria’s capacity to expand trade relations with other African countries.
“Nigeria’s economy is very strong now because of our President’s reforms, which everyone can testify are attracting investors to the country.
“Because of that, we are leading other African countries to ensure that we export and trade among ourselves in a free and fair manner. Between Nigeria and Morocco, for example, there is a lot of exchange of ideas because Morocco is now a hub for the manufacturing of electric cars and other smaller cars,” he said.
The NPA managing director attributed Nigeria’s improved standing in global port performance rankings to the reforms, noting that two Nigerian ports featured among the top 20 in the latest World Bank global ports ranking.
He said the achievement reflected improved efficiency, technology adoption and stronger collaboration with international port stakeholders.
Dantsoho added that the authority would continue to strengthen partnerships with major maritime players in Morocco and South Africa to consolidate the gains recorded in the sector.
He further disclosed that revenue generated from ports across Nigeria had quadrupled, alongside significant increases in cargo volumes.
“We have experienced a lot of increases in volumes and revenue generated by the ports across Nigeria, and it is strictly because of the collaboration between us and other countries. As a matter of fact, efficiency in Nigerian ports is far better now than those of other West African countries.
“As President of the Association of Ports in West and Central Africa, we have the same dashboard to know the performance of other ports in the region. There has also been improvement in Tanzania and Kenya.
“It is a very good feeling that this collaboration is getting us the desired results. We have to consolidate and ensure that we continue to progress without allowing distractions to slow us down,” he said.
On infrastructure development, Dantsoho revealed that the Federal Government was planning a $1 billion investment to expand and modernise the Apapa Port as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s port capacity over the medium to long term.
He stressed that the scale of investment required made private sector participation and collaboration with international partners imperative.
According to him, the NPA is working with APM Terminals and other major industry players to mobilise the capital and expertise required for the project.
The authority is also pursuing technology partnerships to improve port operations and facilitate trade.
He disclosed that the NPA had entered into a partnership with a Singaporean firm about a year ago to develop a Single Window system.
Dantsoho added that the authority was currently collaborating with another company from Abu Dhabi to develop a Port Community System, aimed at improving coordination among stakeholders and enhancing operational efficiency.
He noted that partnerships were not limited to government-to-business arrangements, as private sector operators were also developing business-to-business relationships to support the modernisation of Nigeria’s maritime industry.
