The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has concluded plans to step up efforts to remove bottlenecks hampering Nigeria's non-oil exports. The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, stated this while speaking at the NPA's Special Day at the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair. Dantsoho said the authority was strengthening port infrastructure and extending maritime logistics into the hinterland to help exporters access global markets more efficiently.
According to Dantsoho, trade resilience requires efficient infrastructure, predictable fiscal frameworks, and seamless supply chains. He stressed that Nigeria's economic resilience could no longer depend largely on imports and oil revenues. Instead, expanding non-oil exports and integrating businesses across the country into global value chains remained critical to sustainable economic growth.
The recent approval by the Federal Government for the transfer of Inland Dry Port management and development functions to the NPA would bring port efficiency closer to businesses operating far from the coastal ports. This 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.
Dantsoho explained that the transfer of Inland Dry Port management and development functions to the NPA would make exporting from different parts of Nigeria more accessible and commercially viable. He said the authority had also introduced targeted interventions to eliminate bottlenecks confronting non-oil exporters, including the operationalisation of dedicated export processing terminals.
The dedicated export processing terminals serve as one-stop centres where sorting, packaging, quality certification, and customs documentation can be completed before export cargo is moved to port terminals. Dantsoho emphasised that these interventions were already supporting the growth of non-oil exports, particularly agricultural commodities and solid minerals, while helping Nigerian producers meet international delivery schedules.
Agricultural products such as cocoa, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, and hibiscus, as well as solid minerals, had recorded increased export activity over the past two years. Dantsoho said the streamlined export channels would enhance foreign buyers' confidence in Nigerian products and increase foreign exchange inflows into the domestic economy.
Dantsoho urged businesses in agriculture, manufacturing, processing, and solid minerals to take advantage of the emerging export infrastructure and expand their presence in international markets. He assured exporters that the NPA remained committed to providing efficient port services and extending maritime logistics to different regions of the country to create a trade-enabling environment.
Key points
- NPA plans to strengthen port infrastructure and extend maritime logistics to boost non-oil exports.
