Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the federal government reform agenda for the country’s maritime sector and the drive by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola is responsible for the giant transformation in the sector.
Dantsoho affirmed that reforms currently being undertaken and increased private sector participation will position Nigeria as Africa’s dominant and described private investment as critical drivers of transformation in the sector.
The NPA helmsman spoke at the Blue Economy Investment Summit in Abuja, assuring that the Nigerian port system is poised to play a pivotal role in unlocking strategic investments and accelerating economic growth.
Dantsoho said “The time has come for a paradigm shift in the structure of Nigeria’s economy towards the full utilisation of our marine resources. Our port system, if properly harnessed, can serve as a major driver of economic growth.”
According to him, “By virtue of our strategic location, market size and economic strength, Nigeria is well-positioned to function as the maritime hub for West Africa, comparable to global leaders such as Singapore and Morocco.,” he added.
However, he posited that Nigeria only handles only about 25 per cent of cargo traffic in the region currently, even though it accounts for over 60 percent of West Africa’s GDP.
Also speaking, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, said Nigeria’s natural endowments, including its 823-kilometre coastline and extensive inland waterways, place it in a strong position to lead the sector.
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