BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS

Nigeria’s exports have grown by 25 per cent over the past two years, driven by Federal Government economic reforms and strengthened collaboration between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and port terminal operators, the NPA Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has disclosed.

Dantsoho made the disclosure while speaking at the ongoing Annual World Ports Conference in London, organised by the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH).

He said the growth covered both oil and non-oil exports, with significant improvements recorded in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, particularly in the export volumes of commodities such as cocoa and cashew nuts.

“For us in Nigeria, the most important thing is that we are seeing growth as a result of the policies we are implementing. Statistically, Nigeria’s exports have increased by 25 per cent in the last two years,” he said.

He noted that the improvement was not limited to oil and gas exports, stressing that the manufacturing and agricultural sectors were also experiencing increased export volumes.

“In manufacturing and agriculture, raw materials like cocoa and cashew have recorded increased volumes. This is to the credit of the partnership between ourselves and the major terminal operators, particularly APM Terminals,” Dantsoho stated.

The NPA chief attributed the growth largely to the establishment of Export Processing Terminals (EPTs), which have streamlined export procedures and strengthened coordination among critical stakeholders in the nation’s maritime sector.

According to him, Nigeria currently has about four such facilities, established through collaboration between the NPA, terminal operators, the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant government agencies.

“We have got about four of those in Nigeria, where we collaborate with the terminal operators, the Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies that have a stake, so that everything regarding the processing of cargo for export is done locally,” he explained.

On the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Dantsoho expressed optimism about Nigeria’s economic prospects, attributing growing investor interest to the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Nigeria’s economy is very strong now because of our President’s reforms , which everyone can testify are attracting investors to the country,” he said.

He further disclosed that reforms in the port sector had translated into increased cargo volumes, higher revenue generation and improved operational efficiency across the country’s seaports.

According to him, the performance of Nigerian ports has improved significantly, placing them ahead of several ports in other West African countries in terms of operational efficiency.

“We have experienced a lot of increase in volumes and revenue generated by the ports across Nigeria. As a matter of fact, the efficiency in the ports in Nigeria is far better now than those of other West African countries,” he said.

Dantsoho also revealed that the Federal Government was committing $1 billion to the expansion and modernisation of Apapa Port as part of broader efforts to upgrade critical maritime infrastructure, improve operational capacity and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional maritime hub.

He added that public-private sector partnerships were also playing an important role in driving infrastructure upgrades and technology development across the port system.

The NPA’s latest export growth figures highlight the increasing importance of port modernisation, efficient cargo processing and strategic partnerships in expanding Nigeria’s non-oil export base, improving trade competitiveness and supporting the Federal Government’s economic diversification drive.