The managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has said that the ongoing ports reconstruction across Africa will engender efficiency, trade facilitation, and revolutionise the industry on the continent.
Dantsoho stated this yesterday during his inauguration as the Vice President, Africa, International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) in Kobe City, Japan.
According to him, “Now, for those of us from Africa, we are normally identified as the new frontier because of the great potential of our continent. The continent of Africa has a population of about 1.5 billion people. In terms of coastline, we have about 34,000 km of coastline. Unfortunately, in the area of infrastructure and the port system, we have been falling behind. And now we have realised that it is important to catch up very quickly.
“It is interesting to observe that most ports in Africa now are putting a lot of funding into port infrastructure. For example, we have the Simado project in Guinea Conakry, which is going on. We have projects like that in Morocco and Nigeria to develop this infrastructure. This is a game-changer for us.
He added, “For us, I think that is the most important step to take because the infrastructure has been ancient. So we need this new one to accommodate all kinds of capabilities for specific diversions. In any case, not only is having the capability to receive the diversions for Africa important, but I also think it is important to have the efficiency to receive medium-sized and even smaller services.”
Outlining the agenda as IAPH Vice President, he said, “I count it a great privilege and a good fortune to be part of the noble cause that being inaugurated as VP IAPH for Africa means to me.
I am poised with the support of my highly respected colleagues to contribute to the advancement of the fortunes of global trade as follows: Policy Implementation; this responsibility has fired up my resolve more than ever before, to be a vanguard of galvanising national and regional policy action steps geared towards institutionalizing ports eco-friendliness in line with the dictates of IAPH’s World Ports Sustainability Program.
“Renewed Collaboration & Cooperation: “Reinvention and Prosperity in Turbulent Times” through the deployment of port innovativeness to capture tangible, sustainable investment returns in high-risk environments, is a global exigency that the world can most efficiently surmount if IAPH members speak with one voice through renewed collaboration and cooperation.
“Trade Facilitation; Cognisant of the catalytic role of automation as the linchpin of ports’ efficiency and sustainability, I intend to infuse greater action behind the necessity of full automation of African Ports as the most veritable tool for eliminating trade barriers.”
He added that he intends to deploy my current role as President of the Pan-African Association for Port Cooperation (PAPC) to promote collaboration and cooperation more intentionally.
On the need for more investment in technology, he said, “So we are seeing that in the way we are approaching improvements in the area of technology. For example, most ports in Africa, especially in West Africa, now have profitability systems capabilities.
“So these are processes or approaches that we will continue to improve upon. We have realised that these are also capital-intensive projects that individual countries cannot undertake. So we are going to continue to promote collaboration and partnership. Then we will do a lot in the area of trust and relationship with advanced economies so that they can feel the comfort and the assurance of community-based outcomes.”
He applauded the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for his drive and vision for the blue economy.
He acknowledged that without the ministers’ support, his recorded achievements would not have been possible.
