NPA Positions for Increased Investment, Woos Private Investors to Eastern Ports

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has called on private investors in the maritime and ports sector to move in to invest in Nigerian ports, promising to be accommodating.

The NPA boss disclosed that the recent tour of Lagos Ports of Apapa and TinCan signposted the current administration’s readiness to deepen Nigeria’s competitiveness in vessel and cargo traffic to match the needs of Nigeria’s huge population of over 200 million inhabitants.

Dr Dantsoho made the assertion yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during a two-day facility tour of Onne and Port Harcourt ports.

THISDAY on the tour observed that the MD visited the facilities of BRAWAL Oil Services Limited, Onne Multipurpose Terminal, INTELS, INDORAMA,West African Container Terminal (WACT), and NOTORE and the terminals at Rivers Port Complex Port Harcourt.

The operational and investment campaign tour is in continuation of Dantsoho’s resolve to galvanise port concessionaires and terminal operators into increasing their in-country investments in Port infrastructure equipment.

Speaking during the tour, Dantsoho stated that the maritime and ports sector has good potential for the country, adding that the benefits of the sector can be achieved if there is massive private companies’ investment.

Dantsoho said what is required to achieve the potential of the marine economy is for primate companies to invest in infrastructure, equipment, technology and more investment in human capital.

He said: “What is required is investment from private sector in Nigeria, and for us to improve capacity in ports and maritime industry, we need private sector investments in infrastructure, investment in equipment, more investment in technology and more investment in human capital.

“Where we are a good example of achieving that. This place was started like five years ago. It was a green field. But now you can see how activities are taking place here.

“There are vessels here that have berthed. As a matter of fact it is a multipurpose terminal, meaning that there are receiving cargoes for general goods-you can have fertilizer, cement, and sugar.

“We are also receiving containerized cargoes. Meaning that you have ships that are container specific. This is how to grow the Maritime and port industry by getting people from private sector to invest.

“This is a good example of where this can lead us and take us to. It can take the industry to a more advanced level so that we can compete with our neighbouring countries.

“There is nothing they are doing that is out of the world. It is just investment. So the NPA as an institution, we are going to create or add to what we are doing to attract this private sector investors.”

The NPA boss, however, promised that the authority would ensure protection and safe working environment for the private investments to operate.

He said: “We are going to be more accommodating, we are going to be more encouraging to them so that they can come and invest, so we can say Nigeria is really leading the West and Central Africa in this sector.

“We are calling on all stakeholders to be with us in this struggle so that by the end of the day, Nigeria will claim its rightful position in the maritime and ports industry in Africa.”

Dantsoho further revealed that the target of the federal government is to enlarge the capacity of the maritime sector of the country, stressing that the government is concerned about the growth of the sector.

He said: “We have said that what we require is private companies that can give us good facilities, development human capacity building and CSR.

“The focus of the government is to expand and deepening our capacity in the maritime industry. It is our God’s given area. This government is concerned about growing this industry.

“We are going to invest huge money to improve Tinkan and Apapa. And this will begin soon. We are going to invest money in technology. It is important we have the best technology.”