BY ANDREW OJIEZEL, Lagos
President Bola Tinubu will open the gathering of 24 littoral African countries in Lagos.
The port leaders in West and Central Africa are expected to attend the 43rd Annual Council and 18th Managing Directors’ Roundtable on Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
In recognition of the remarkable improvements demonstrated by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in advancing the frontiers of trade facilitation, the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA) had conferred the hosting right of its 43rd Annual Council and 18th Managing Directors’ Roundtable on the NPA.
The gathering of 24 littoral African countries for the conference titled: “The Role of Ports in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)” is scheduled to hold from 6th to 9th November, 2023 in Lagos.
The organisers said it is a platform for the cross-fertilisation of ideas, experiences and knowledge sharing to guide necessary policy action towards maximizing the maritime comparative advantage of the sub-region.
Speaking on Nigeria’s preparedness and expectations from the conference, the minister of marine and blue economy , Adegboyega Oyetola said “this gathering of maritime experts is very timely as it is coming when Nigeria is eager to provide the leadership necessary to convert our marine and blue economy potentials to actualities in a bid to provide opportunities for our growing youth population”.
He added that “to demonstrate the premium we place on maximizing the emerging opportunities of AfCFTA which is the focal point of the conference, we have given the Nigerian Ports Authority all the support necessary for a flawless hosting”.
NPA managing director, Mohammed Bello Koko said, “Our confidence in hosting this conference in demonstration of our readiness to provide regional leadership in Port competitiveness is inspired by the uncommon trade facilitation orientation of Mr. President who is already endorsing some of our initiatives for the maximization of our littoral assets under the auspices of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.”
