The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) announced on Tuesday plans to start on a $1.1 billion port rehabilitation project in order to increase trade competitiveness and wrest cargo from neighbouring countries.
Mohammed Bello Koko, Managing Director of NPA, revealed the initiative at the ongoing 43rd Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) conference in Lagos.
Koko also highlighted the creation of a 25-year port masterplan that would serve as a national working document connecting all stakeholders in the growth of marine and logistics.
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He stated that the port rehabilitation project would include Tincan Island Port, Apapa Port, and other ports throughout the country.
Koko said that, with nearly every port in Nigeria in need of restoration, NPA was launching a major revamp, beginning with the TinCan and Apapa ports in Lagos.
He stated that the NPA’s goal was to improve the physical infrastructure of the ports in order to handle boats of all kinds and increase the draught at the quayside, with the goal of obtaining draught depths of up to 14 metres. He stated that the programme would boost Nigerian ports’ worldwide competitiveness.
According to the managing director, NPA was also strengthening partnership with the business sector in order to construct new seaports.
He stated that the Lekki Deep Seaport has already begun operations, and that “the Badagry Deep Seaport recently signed an agreement with a Middle Eastern party, with construction scheduled to commence early next year.”
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The project, as he put it, “exemplifies NPA’s determination to create a multimodal transportation system connecting all ports seamlessly.”
According to Koko, the 25-year port strategy will guide the location, size, and operations of the country’s ports, terminals, and jetties. He stated that the masterplan will serve as a national working blueprint, unifying all stakeholders in the development of maritime and logistics.
Recognising the inefficiencies associated with road-based freight evacuation, he stated that NPA was actively working on alternate initiatives such as introducing barges and upgrading rail infrastructure.
He informed the audience that the train line had arrived at Apapa port and would be extended soon to TinCan port.
Koko announced that the survey for deploying cargo rail and tracks to Onne port had been finished, paving the way for the project to begin next year.
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Koko stated that NPA was embracing automation to streamline processes and decrease costs.
According to him, “The authority has automated its collection system and is collaborating with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to introduce a state-of-the-art port community system, poised to optimise cargo clearance processes.”
He stated that the NPA was working with the newly established port process manual to clarify the responsibilities of government entities inside the ports, with the goal of reducing overlaps and removing duplication of activities.
On security, he stated that the deployment of the Deep Blue project, which is equipped with air and sea assets, is improving security in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) and has greatly reduced piracy events in Nigerian waters.
Koko noted that the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) was partnering with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to decrease bottlenecks and lower the cost of conducting business within the ports.
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Earlier in his remarks, President PMAWCA, Mr. Martin Boguikouma, asked African countries to overcome regional difficulties in order to receive the increased traffic hat would emerge from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Boguikouma listed ways to solve the challenge to include collaboration between customs and port authorities to harmonise customs procedures.
The PMAWCA president stated, “We need to ensure capacity building of all seaport and customs officials and sensitise them on how to address cross border trade.
“There is a need to work in reducing transport cost, investing in efficient transport infrastructure, and maritime safety through enhanced interstate cooperation.”
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He stated that Gabon had put mechanisms in place to allow effective free trade.
Boguikouma stated that one of the initiatives was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on trade facilitation and harmonised customs tariff, emphasising the importance of this for AfCFTA.
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