NPA Charts New Course For Sustainable Ports, Soaring Exports

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

In a bold push to elevate Nigeria’s export performance and embed sustainability into port operations, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has called on his team to double down on efficiency reforms that have powered the country’s non-oil export surge in 2025.

Speaking at the recently concluded NPA Management Retreat in Onne, Rivers State, Dantsoho praised the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) for its pivotal role in driving export growth, but emphasized that the journey toward excellence must continue.

“We are proud of the excellent work being undertaken by the NEPC, as evident in the increased export numbers passing through our platforms. But we cannot rest on our laurels. We must commit to a continuous improvement paradigm of port operations and service delivery that places high premium on sustainability.”

Dantsoho highlighted the importance of minimizing environmental impact, promoting social responsibility, and ensuring long-term economic viability.

“These are the drivers of global progress, and we cannot afford to be left behind,” he added. “We owe posterity a duty to infuse sustainability paradigms into the way we do things”, he said.

The retreat, themed “Repositioning the Nigerian Ports System for Sustainability,” focused on streamlining operations and enhancing customer service. The NPA Management Team undertook a Business Process Re-engineering exercise to identify and eliminate bottlenecks, while also signing a Performance Bond to reinforce its commitment to operational excellence in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s priorities and directives from the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola.

These strategic moves come as Nigeria celebrates a record-breaking performance in non-oil exports. Under NEPC’s technical guidance, the NPA’s Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) facilitated a 19.59% year-on-year increase in export value, reaching US$3.225 billion in H1 2025. Export volume also climbed to 4.04 million metric tonnes.

Adding to the momentum, the Eastern Port of Onne welcomed the maiden voyage of MV Ocean Dragon—Nigeria’s first wholly-owned container vessel. The ship, which will operate weekly via the Calabar channel, is set to connect Nigerian ports with key destinations across West, Central, and Southern Africa, including Benin Republic, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and South Africa.

With these developments, the NPA is not just moving cargo, it is steering Nigeria toward a future of smarter, greener, and globally competitive port operations.