NPA MD pushes for growth of African ports as IAPH VP

Adaku Onyenucheya

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, who has been elected as the Vice President of of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), has pledged to ensure unified action among the continent’s port authorities and stakeholders to address challenges facing African ports.

Speaking after his inauguration at the recently concluded World Ports Conference, themed “Reinvention and Prosperity in Turbulent Times,” held in Japan, Dantsoho, dsif advancing port development across the continent would be central to his leadership agenda at the IAPH.

Dantsoho also stated that his focus will be on effective policy implementation, enhanced collaboration, strengthened cooperation and improved trade facilitation within Africa’s port sector.

Recall that African ports, which play critical roles in global trade, face challenges such as infrastructure deficits, policy inconsistency, and limited technological adoption.

However, the NPA MD said his administration, through the deployment of port innovativeness will capture tangible, sustainable investment returns in high-risk environments.

“This responsibility has fired up my resolve more than ever before to be the vanguard of galvanising national and regional policy action steps geared towards institutionalising ports’ eco-friendliness in line with the dictates of IAPH’s World Ports Sustainability Programme,” he said.

The NPA boss further stated that he will champion full automation of African ports to eliminate trade barriers.