The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho has reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to reposition the country’s ports to meet global Standards.
This is as he emphasised the NPA’s pivotal role in facilitating maritime trade in Nigeria by aligning with international best practices.
Dantsoho gave the assurance at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON), themed “Maritime Development: Training, Ports Efficiency and Shipping Imperatives”, held at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, on Friday.
According to him, the Authority has commenced finalising documentation and begun actual works on the $1billion reconstruction of the aged Tin Can Island Port Complex.
Dantsoho also noted the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Apapa, Rivers, Onne, Warri, and Calabar Port Complexes to assure their infrastructural integrity.
“The Authority has also taken steps towards the port capacity expansion through the operationalisation of new ports and advancement of green port development. This include the development of the Snake Island Port in addition to the Badagry Deep Seaport, Ondo Deep Seaport and Burutu Ports which are at various stages of progress under the technical guidance of the Nigerian Ports Authority. Also, is the Port Community System (PCS) and the National Single Window are been aggressively implemented,” the Managing Director said.
He revealed that under his leadership, the Authority has concluded Nigeria’s membership of the International Port Community Sustem Association (IPCSA), describing it as a necessary precursor to the implementation of the National Single Window(NSW) project.
On electronic truck call up, Dantsoho disclosed that the management of the truck traffic which was conceived to sustainably tackle the excruciating traffic gridlock has been firmed up through the introduction of satellite truck parks and time belts, resulting in significant ease of doing business at the ports.
With reference to export growth and trade surplus, he recalled that the Authority’s insistence on port efficiencies culminated in Nigeria’s attainment of trade surplus of ₦5.81 trillion ($3.7billion) in third quarter of 2024 as reported by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
The MD stressed that the Authority has put Public Private Partnership (PPP) modalities in motion to drive revenue from ports independent power production, fallow lands for logistics, bunkering stations, fresh water provision, and ship repairs and maintenance.
He further highlighted the promotion of Nigeria’s standing in the comity of maritime nations with his pioneering victory and election as the President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA); making him the first Nigerian to be elected since the inception of the prestigious regional maritime bloc in 1972.
Dantsoho revealed that he leads and provides the diplomatic capital necessary for actualising Nigeria’s quest for re-admission into the influential “Category C” of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
He continued: “The 2024 Consolidated Management Report of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) highlights significant improvements in port activities, with multiple indicators pointing to robust growth across various sectors. The Authority has experienced remarkable progress from cargo throughput to ship traffic and services boat operations.
“One of the most notable achievements in 2024 was the substantial increase in cargo throughput. Cargo traffic surged by 45.1%, rising from 71,213,197 metric tons in 2023 to 103,336,863 metric tons in 2024. This increase reflects heightened trade activities and improved operations efficiencies.”
He reiterated the Authority’s commitment to maintaining a continued relationship and providing optimal support to AMJON.