Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, is steadily repositioning the nation’s Eastern Ports as key gateways for trade and industrial growth, aligning with the Federal Government’s push for economic diversification and a sustainable blue economy.
For decades, the Onne, Port Harcourt, Warri, and Calabar ports were underutilized, overshadowed by Lagos, which handled more than 90 percent of Nigeria’s maritime traffic.
Today, that narrative is changing. Under Dantsoho’s leadership, the Eastern ports are experiencing a renaissance receiving larger vessels, attracting global shipping lines, and providing faster, cheaper access to the South-East and Northern industrial hubs.
One recent milestone was the arrival of the wholly Nigerian-owned vessel MV Ocean Dragon at Onne Port, a symbolic boost for intra-African trade and the “Nigeria First” policy. Partnerships with global giants like Hapag-Lloyd and collaborations with Customs for 24-hour operations have further strengthened competitiveness.
Performance numbers underscore the turnaround. Service boat Gross Registered Tonnage in the Eastern Ports surged by 129.3% in 2024, with projections that NPA’s revenue will rise from ₦894.8 billion in 2024 to ₦1.28 trillion in 2025.
Backed by a new incentive regime, tariff discounts, and multimodal transport integration, shippers and manufacturers across Aba, Onitsha, and Nnewi are already seeing reduced costs and turnaround times.
Massive infrastructure upgrades are also underway. Dredging, navigational aids, modern harbour crafts, and the $2.9 billion Onne Port Expansion project, the largest in Africa in a decade are transforming the region into a thriving maritime hub.
Complementing this, Afrexim Bank has committed $350 million to expand indigenous shipbuilding capacity at Starz Marine’s shipyard in Rivers State, underscoring Nigeria’s growing role in the global blue economy.
From easing export bottlenecks to providing new lifelines for manufacturers and traders in the South-East, Dantsoho’s reforms are changing the story of Nigeria’s ports.
His hands-on leadership spanning tours to attract investors, introduction of competitive tariffs, and drive for indigenous participation is gradually breaking Lagos’ monopoly while unlocking opportunities for jobs, exports, and industrial growth.