The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has stepped up efforts to remove bottlenecks hampering Nigeria’s non-oil exports, with a renewed push to expand export channels, improve cargo processing and increase foreign exchange inflows.

The Managing Director of the NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this at the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).

He said the authority was strengthening port infrastructure and extending maritime logistics into the hinterland to enable exporters to access global markets more efficiently.

According to Dantsoho, trade resilience required efficient infrastructure, predictable fiscal frameworks and seamless supply chains.

He said Nigeria’s economic resilience could no longer depend largely on imports and oil revenues, stressing that expanding non-oil exports and integrating businesses across the country into global value chains were critical to sustainable economic growth.

Dantsoho said the recent approval by the Federal Government for the transfer of Inland Dry Port (IDP) management and development functions to the NPA would bring port services closer to businesses operating far from coastal ports.

He said the development would particularly benefit exporters in northern and central Nigeria, including Abuja, by reducing the need to transport raw commodities to coastal ports before completing port clearance and documentation.

“By bringing Inland Dry Ports under the operational purview of the NPA, exporters in northern and central Nigeria, including right here in Abuja, no longer need to move raw commodities to coastal ports before undergoing port clearance and documentation,” he said.

The NPA boss added that the authority had introduced targeted interventions to eliminate bottlenecks confronting non-oil exporters, including the operationalisation of dedicated Export Processing Terminals.

According to him, the terminals serve as one-stop centres where sorting, packaging, quality certification and customs documentation can be completed before export cargo is moved to port terminals.

He said the interventions were already supporting the growth of non-oil exports, particularly agricultural commodities and solid minerals, while helping Nigerian producers meet international delivery schedules.

Dantsoho said cocoa, sesame seeds, cashew nuts and hibiscus, as well as solid minerals, had recorded increased export activity over the past two years.

He said streamlined export channels would improve foreign buyers’ confidence in Nigerian products and increase foreign exchange inflows.

He urged businesses in agriculture, manufacturing, processing and solid minerals to take advantage of the emerging export infrastructure and expand their presence in international markets.

Also speaking, the Director-General of ACCI, Agabaidu Jideani, called for stronger collaboration with the NPA to facilitate trade, unlock investment opportunities and strengthen the link between the maritime sector and the wider business community.

Jideani said closer engagement between the NPA and the organised private sector was critical to improving the ease of doing business, strengthening supply chains and enhancing Nigeria’s participation in domestic, regional and international trade.

He said the efficiency, accessibility and competitiveness of the nation’s ports had direct implications for importers, exporters, manufacturers, distributors, logistics operators and retailers.