The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has attributed the country’s 19.6 per cent non-oil export growth in the first half (Q1) to the efficiency of the export processing terminals (EPT) and port operations.
The Managing Director of NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, commended the excellent work being undertaken by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) as evident in the increased exports passing through the EPT.
He stated this during the recently concluded NPA Management Retreat in Onne, Rivers state, which focused on reviewing and optimising operational processes to enhance service delivery.
Dantsoho tasked his team to renew their commitment towards continuous improvement of port efficiency, which provides the backbone for the positive export performance Nigeria has recorded thus far in the year.
“We must commit to a continuous improvement paradigm of port operations and service delivery that places a high premium on issues of sustainability, minimising environmental impact through eco-friendliness, promotion of social responsibility and ensuring long-term economic viability are the drivers of global progress. We cannot afford to be left behind; we owe posterity a duty to infuse sustainability paradigms into the way we do things,” he said.
At the retreat, the NPA management team undertook a business process re-engineering to identify and address bottlenecks and inefficiencies, ensuring a more customer-centric approach.
Also, the NPA signed a performance bond, which Dantsoho said has reinforced the NPA’s commitment to operational excellence and achieving the priorities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as directed by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
He said the strategic initiative underscores NPA’s dedication to improving efficiency, customer satisfaction and long-term sustainability in Nigeria’s port system.
Dantsoho said the 4.04 million metric tonnes rise in export volume is coming on the heels of the maiden call of the first wholly-Nigerian-owned container vessel ‘MV Ocean Dragon’ at the NPA Eastern Port of Onne.
He said the vessel, which is scheduled to operate weekly from Onne via Calabar channel, will service ports in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Egypt and South Africa.
