Jonas Ezieke
\nManaging Director and Chief Executive Officer CEO of the Nigeria Ports Authority NPA Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has attributed the transformation of the nation\u2019s maritime sector to the impact of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola and the federal government reforms.<\/p>\n
This was as Dantsoho has assured investors that Nigeria has the capacity to dominate Africa\u2019s blue economy, citing ongoing federal government reforms and increased private sector participation as critical drivers of transformation in the maritime sector.<\/p>\n
Dantsoho gave the assurance while speaking at the Blue Economy Investment Summit in Abuja, where he stressed that Nigeria\u2019s port system would play a pivotal role in unlocking strategic investments and accelerating economic growth.<\/p>\n
He noted that the country must urgently refocus its economic priorities toward fully harnessing its vast marine resources in line with global sustainability goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe time has come for a paradigm shift in the structure of Nigeria\u2019s economy towards the full utilisation of our marine resources. Our port system, if properly harnessed, can serve as a major driver of economic growth,\u201d Dantsoho said.<\/p>\n
The NPA boss explained that Nigeria\u2019s strategic location, large population and economic strength position it to become a maritime hub for West Africa, comparable to global leaders such as Singapore and Morocco.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy virtue of our strategic location, market size and economic strength, Nigeria is well-positioned to function as the maritime hub for West Africa,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Despite these advantages, Dantsoho expressed concern that Nigeria currently handles only about 25 per cent of cargo traffic in the region, even though it accounts for over 60 per cent of West Africa\u2019s GDP.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is worrisome that Nigeria, despite controlling over 60 per cent of West Africa\u2019s GDP, handles only about 25 per cent of the region\u2019s cargo traffic. This clearly shows that we have not fully optimised our potential,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He, however, assured investors that the tide is turning, as the federal government, through the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, is implementing far-reaching reforms to reposition the sector.<\/p>\n
According to him, key initiatives include port modernisation, deployment of a Trade Single Window, implementation of a Port Community System, development of deep seaports and full digitalisation of port operations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are implementing key strategic initiatives such as port modernisation, trade single window, port community system, deep seaport development and full digitalisation to reposition our ports for global competitiveness,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Dantsoho emphasised that private sector funding remains central to achieving these goals, noting that the NPA is actively encouraging project financing to bridge infrastructure gaps and improve efficiency.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are open to private sector participation through project financing. This approach is already improving efficiency and providing access to funding for critical infrastructure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that the reforms are designed to enhance port efficiency, improve connectivity, reduce freight costs and boost non-oil exports, ultimately driving revenue growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ultimate goal is to improve liner connectivity, attract bigger vessels, reduce freight costs, and expand our export base, which will significantly boost revenue generation,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
Dantsoho stressed that competitiveness in the global maritime industry requires efficient operations, competitive pricing and strong hinterland connectivity, adding that Nigerian ports must remain adaptive to evolving global shipping trends.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith sustained commitment to these initiatives, Nigeria\u2019s port system will enter a new phase and emerge as a leading maritime logistics hub in Africa,\u201d he assured.<\/p>\n
Also speaking, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, said Nigeria\u2019s natural endowments, including its 823-kilometre coastline and extensive inland waterways, place it in a strong position to lead the sector.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith over 823 kilometres of coastline, extensive inland waterways and a prime location along the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria is uniquely positioned to harness the immense potential of the marine and blue economy,\u201d Oyetola said.<\/p>\n
He added that reforms by the federal government have improved coordination, strengthened maritime security and boosted investor confidence, noting that the sector accounts for over 90 per cent of Nigeria\u2019s international trade by volume.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jonas Ezieke Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer CEO of the Nigeria Ports Authority NPA Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has attributed the transformation of the nation\u2019s maritime sector to the impact of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola and the federal government reforms. This was as Dantsoho has assured investors that Nigeria […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12800,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3620,1925,6433],"class_list":["post-12799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-news","tag-attributed","tag-maritime","tag-transformation-nations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12799"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12799\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12802,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12799\/revisions\/12802"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}