The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said that efficient and modern port infrastructure is critical to unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs), stressing that the success of the zones depends on seamless logistics, connectivity and operational efficiency.
The Authority said optimising port infrastructure would strengthen the competitiveness of SEZs, accelerate industrialisation, boost exports, attract investment and support the Federal Government’s blue economy agenda.
Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, stated this at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Dantsoho, who was represented by the Port Manager of the Rivers Port Complex, Mrs. Kenechi Okezie, delivered a paper titled “Optimising Port Infrastructure to Unlock the Full Potential of Special Economic Zones in Nigeria.”
He said that while investment incentives and favourable regulations could attract investors, efficient infrastructure, particularly ports, was essential for sustaining investment and driving long-term economic growth.
“A Special Economic Zone without an efficient port system is much like an airport without a runway: the vision may be compelling, but its potential can never be realised,” he said.
Dantsoho described ports as strategic national assets that can stimulate manufacturing, support exports, expand trade and create employment, rather than merely facilities where ships berth.
He noted that efficient ports are central to the success of a sustainable blue economy because improved port operations stimulate trade, industrial growth, job creation and improved livelihoods.
According to him, the NPA is implementing a coordinated strategy to optimise port infrastructure through the rehabilitation and modernisation of port facilities, continuous channel maintenance, digital transformation, multimodal transport connectivity, public-private partnerships and stronger institutional collaboration.
He said the Authority was advancing the Port Community System as a key component of the National Single Window initiative aimed at reducing cargo clearance time, improving transparency and enhancing trade facilitation.
The NPA chief also emphasised the need to integrate ports with roads, rail lines and inland waterways to improve cargo evacuation and logistics efficiency.
He highlighted the strategic role of Inland Dry Ports in extending port services to inland industrial clusters and Special Economic Zones, while citing the Lekki Deep Sea Port as a successful example of public-private partnership.
According to him, such partnerships are essential for expanding port capacity, strengthening supply chains and supporting export-oriented industrialisation.
While acknowledging progress in port development, Dantsoho said continuous investment, innovation and collaboration among stakeholders remained necessary to reposition Nigerian ports as preferred gateways for regional trade.
“When our ports become more efficient, our industries become more competitive; when our industries become more competitive, investment grows; and when investment grows, jobs are created, exports expand, and national prosperity follows,” he said.
He called on the government, private sector operators, investors, development partners and the media to collaborate in building a port system that supports Special Economic Zones, drives the blue economy and promotes Nigeria’s long-term economic transformation.
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