A civil society organisation, the National Coalition for Transformative Reforms (NCTR), has commended President Bola Tinubu and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, for what it described as far-reaching reforms that are repositioning Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The group said Dantsoho’s appointment in 2024 has brought renewed confidence to the NPA and accelerated the Federal Government’s port modernisation agenda.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the Executive Director of the coalition, Dr. Richard Ocheje, described Dantsoho’s appointment as a strategic move by President Tinubu to transform the maritime industry.
According to him, reforms anchored on infrastructure renewal, digital transformation and regulatory restructuring have revitalised the Marine and Blue Economy sector, with positive implications for revenue generation, trade facilitation and job creation.
“The MD has within a short time given the NPA a brand-new image. As a regulator, the agency has left no one in doubt that the man in charge is a square peg in a square hole,” Ocheje said.
He also praised the Tinubu administration’s commitment to overhauling Nigeria’s port system through sustained investments and policy initiatives aimed at making the country’s seaports more competitive within the West and Central African maritime corridor.
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Ocheje highlighted several key initiatives, including the £746 million United Kingdom financing deal signed in March 2026 to upgrade and modernise the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, and Tin Can Island Port.
He also cited the Federal Government’s $1 billion seaport reconstruction programme, aimed at rehabilitating five major seaports—Apapa, Tin Can Island, Calabar, Warri, and Port Harcourt/Onne—within 48 months.
According to him, the government has also advanced plans for the development and certification of five new deep seaports in Badagry, Olokola, Ibom, Bakassi and Bonny to boost cargo capacity and expand maritime activities.
“The Federal Government has gone a great distance in the development and certification of five new deep seaports to increase cargo capacity,” he said.
The coalition further commended the administration for embracing technology to improve port administration and facilitate trade.
Ocheje noted that the implementation of the National Single Window would simplify cargo clearance procedures, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and improve operational efficiency.
“This digital platform is aimed at integrating port operations and streamlining cargo clearance, reducing vessel waiting and cargo turnaround times. No doubt, this will promote both efficiency and effectiveness,” he added.
On the regulatory front, he said the passage of the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill by the National Assembly demonstrated the government’s determination to strengthen governance in the maritime sector.
According to him, the proposed legislation will establish an independent economic regulator to oversee port tariffs, monitor service delivery standards and promote transparency and competitiveness across Nigeria’s ports.
The coalition expressed optimism that the ongoing reforms, if sustained, would improve Nigeria’s ease of doing business, strengthen its position as a regional maritime hub and unlock greater opportunities for investment, trade and economic development.
