World Ports Confab: FG woos global investors with maritime reforms

By Godwin Oritse The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has intensified efforts to attract global investment into Nigeria’s maritime sector by showcasing the Federal Government’s ongoing port reforms and investor-friendly policies at the World Ports Conference, highlighting opportunities for private sector participation, improved port efficiency and sustainable growth.

Speaking at the ongoing World Ports Conference in London, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, showcased President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s maritime policies and its positioning of Nigeria’s Ports as Africa’s biggest economy that is yearning for global investment. He affirmed that the speed of growth and development in the country’s ports signifies the huge opportunities investors should tap into, adding that the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has put policies in place that are investment friendly.

The NPA boss identified Nigeria’s huge population, urbanization, and infrastructural gaps in the ports as attractive opportunities for investment in its maritime and associated sectors. Dantsoho, who is also the Vice- President of the International Association of Ports & Harbours (IAPH) and doubles as Chairman of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) told investors that Africa’s untapped resources remain the best destination for ports investment and development.

He said the government alone cannot fund development of bigger or deeper sea ports and other similar projects hence the need for investors to take advantage of such opportunities across the continent. Dantsoho affirmed that “Nigeria has the highest population in Africa. So, the speed of growth is something that really should concern us. For example, in Nigeria, only recently, about 3 years ago, we commissioned the first deep sea port in Nigeria, which is called Lekki Deep Sea Port, that was funded by the Chinese government in relationship with China Harbor, and the expenditure cost us $1.6 billion to build Lekki in Lagos.