Eromosele Abiodun
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said that it has stepped up efforts to remove bottlenecks hampering Nigeria’s non-oil exports, with a renewed push to expand export channels, improve cargo processing and boost foreign exchange inflows into the economy.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, made this known while speaking at the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair.
He said the NPA was strengthening port infrastructure and extending maritime logistics into the hinterland to enable exporters to access global markets more efficiently.
Dantsoho said trade resilience required efficient infrastructure, predictable fiscal frameworks and seamless supply chains.
According to him, Nigeria’s economic resilience could no longer depend largely on imports and oil revenues, stressing that expanding non-oil exports and integrating businesses across the country into global value chains remained critical to sustainable economic growth.
He said the recent approval by the federal government for the transfer of Inland Dry Port (IDP) management and development functions to the NPA would bring port efficiency closer to businesses operating far from the coastal ports.
Dantsoho explained that the development would particularly benefit exporters in northern and central Nigeria, including Abuja, by reducing the need to transport raw commodities to coastal ports before completing port clearance and documentation.
He said, “By bringing Inland Dry Ports under the operational purview of the NPA, exporters in northern and central Nigeria, including right here in Abuja, no longer need to move raw commodities to coastal ports before undergoing port clearance and documentation.”
The NPA boss added that the authority had also introduced targeted interventions to eliminate bottlenecks confronting non-oil exporters, including the operationalisation of dedicated Export Processing Terminals.
Also speaking, Director General of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Agabaidu Jideani, called for stronger collaboration with NPA to facilitate trade, unlock investment opportunities and strengthen the link between Nigeria’s maritime sector and the wider business community.
Jideani said closer engagement between the NPA and the organised private sector was critical to improving the ease of doing business, strengthening supply chains and enhancing Nigeria’s participation in domestic, regional and international trade.
He said the efficiency, accessibility and competitiveness of the nation’s ports had direct implications for importers, exporters, manufacturers, distributors, logistics operators, retailers and other businesses.