The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, says Abuja’s central location and agro-allied resources make it critical to the Federal Government’s push for non-oil revenue expansion.
Speaking at the Abuja International Trade Fair on Thursday, Dantsoho said the NPA is intensifying efforts to align its trade facilitation agenda with Abuja’s strategic position at the heart of the country.
“Abuja’s centrality presents a seamless linkage with the comparative advantages inherent in all regions of the federation, which can be harnessed to sustain growth in the volume and value of Nigeria’s exports,” he said.
According to him, the agency is rolling out initiatives to simplify and digitalise export processes, including a transition to a unified Ports Community System ahead of the National Single Window scheme.
The platform, he explained, would connect exporters, government agencies, logistics operators, and other stakeholders in a streamlined and transparent manner.
To boost competitiveness, Dantsoho said the NPA had established Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) that serve as one-stop shops for consolidation, packaging, documentation, certification, and shipment.
These, he noted, are linked with Domestic Export Warehouses in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and Inland Dry Ports to deepen hinterland connectivity.
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“In our bid to contribute to strengthening the domestic economy through the promotion of balance of trade, we established the Export Process Terminal to simplify the previously burdensome process of exporting Nigerian goods,” he said.
He stressed that trade remains “the most veritable tool for actualising Nigeria’s economic aspirations” and called on stakeholders to take advantage of the new export support platforms being put in place by the NPA.
Dantsoho further assured that the NPA is committed to connecting value creators in Nigeria’s hinterlands to global markets while maintaining open doors for partnerships.