Ports Infrastructure: NPA Commences $1bn Development – Abubakar Dantsoho
By Raheem Ibrahim
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has commenced the finalisation of documentation and the actual commencement of works on the $1 billion redevelopment of the aging Tincan Island Port Complex in Lagos.
In addition, the Authority has begun a comprehensive rehabilitation of the Apapa, Rivers, Onne, Warri, and Calabar Port Complexes to ensure their infrastructural integrity.
Speaking at the AMJON Annual Maritime Conference and Awards held in Lagos over the weekend, the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, stated that the developments are in line with the mandate given to the Authority by President Bola Tinubu through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
He revealed that the NPA has also taken steps to expand port capacity through the operationalisation of new ports and the advancement of green port development.
According to him, “This includes 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, the Port Community System (PCS) and the National Single Window have been aggressively implemented.”
Dr. Dantsoho further disclosed that the Authority has concluded Nigeria’s membership of the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), a critical step toward the implementation of the National Single Window (NSW) project.
On electronic truck call-up management—an initiative designed to address the persistent traffic gridlock around the Lagos ports—the NPA boss said the system has been strengthened through the introduction of satellite truck parks and time belts, leading to significant improvements in the Ease of Doing Business at the ports.
On export growth and trade surplus, Dr. Dantsoho noted that his drive for improved port efficiency contributed to Nigeria recording a trade surplus of N5.81 trillion (approximately $3.7 billion) in Q3 2024, as reported by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
It was gathered that the Dantsoho-led NPA has initiated Public-Private Partnership (PPP) frameworks to generate revenue through Ports Independent Power Production. Fallow lands are also being developed to attract investment in logistics hubs, bunkering stations, freshwater provision, and ship repair and maintenance services.
Additionally, Dr. Dantsoho has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Nigerian elected President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) since the regional maritime body’s inception in 1972—a landmark achievement for Nigeria’s standing among maritime nations.
He is also spearheading efforts to secure Nigeria’s re-admission into Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), leveraging his leadership and diplomatic engagements.
On port performance, the 2024 Consolidated Management Report of the NPA indicates robust growth across key operational metrics. Notably, cargo throughput increased by 45.1%, rising from 71,213,197 metric tons in 2023 to 103,336,863 metric tons in 2024—a reflection of intensified trade activity and enhanced operational efficiency.
