The desire to see Nigeria actualize the country’s dream in making Nigeria the maritime hub in the Africa region as a result of its huge economic potential is behind the planned investment of billions of naira in port upgrades, the Nigerian Ports Authority has disclosed.
Nigeria accounts for about 70 percent of cargoes imported into West and Central Africa while it controls an impressive stretch of the Atlantic Ocean.
Reports showed that Nigeria’s rich aquatic endowments and her border with landlocked nations makes development of deep seaports a huge potential revenue earner for the nation.
Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko says the Authority is poised to leverage on its status as Africa’s biggest economy to actualize the country’s maritime hub status in the region, through investments in modern deep seaports.
He said such investment would attract very large merchant vessels with the attendant multiple socio-economic benefits, as well as boost port revenue performance.
Bello-Koko spoke at a retreat for the reconstituted board of Directors of the Authority, with the theme “Expanding the Frontiers of Service Excellence” in Abeokuta, Ogun state.
The NPA MD explained the new direction and measures being put in place to actualize the Authority’s aspirations, saying a lot has been done, especially in the last few months to resolve most of the identified constraints to efficient movement of cargoes to and from port locations.
