NPA MD, Dantsoho tours Onne, Rivers Ports, seeks more investments
By Seun Ibiyemi
In a bid to galvanise port concessionaires and terminal operators into increasing their in-country investments in port infrastructure and equipment, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has undertaken an operational and investment campaign tour of the Onne and Rivers Port Complexes.
This visit, which follows his earlier tour of Lagos Ports in Apapa and Tin-Can on November 27, 2024, underscores the current administration’s commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in vessel and cargo traffic to meet the demands of its population of over 200 million.
The tour included visits to BRAWAL Oil Services Ltd, Onne Multipurpose Terminal, INTELS, INDORAMA, West African Container Terminal (WACT), NOTORE, and the terminals at Rivers Port Complex in Port Harcourt.
During the tour, Dr. Dantsoho emphasised, “With the level of investments our maritime neighbors, especially along the West and Central African coast, are attracting, we can only stay competitive if we redouble our investment efforts.
“Providing the requisite infrastructure and equipment to accommodate larger vessels is essential for scaling up cargo throughput to adequately serve our vast population.”
He added, “This management is committed to the mandate given by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, to create enablers for increased investment. We are determined to deliver on this mandate.”
Dr. Dantsoho further appealed to investors, stating, “I urge investors to maximise the investor-friendly policies of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Increased investment is assured of guaranteed returns.”
The NPA Managing Director, who was recently elected as the first Nigerian President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), concluded the tour by highlighting, “The reality of Nigerian ports processing only two million containers to serve a population of over 200 million is an anomaly that must be urgently addressed through significant investments.”
