Abuja’s Strategic Location and Agricultural Potential Crucial for Expanding Nigeria’s Non-Oil Revenue – Dr. Dantsoho
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has emphasized that Abuja’s central location and its rich agro-allied resources are vital in advancing the NPA’s efforts to support the Federal Government’s drive to increase non-oil revenue. According to him, connecting local producers in the non-oil sector to global markets is essential for sustainable economic growth.
Dr. Dantsoho noted that Abuja’s unique position at the center of the country enhances the NPA’s renewed focus on facilitating trade, particularly by improving linkages between the ports and the hinterland. This connectivity, he said, creates an opportunity to leverage the comparative advantages found across Nigeria’s regions to boost the volume and value of exports.
He also expressed the Authority’s pride in being associated with the Abuja International Trade Fair, highlighting trade as a key driver in achieving Nigeria’s broader economic goals.
Speaking during the “NPA Special Day” at the fair, Dr. Dantsoho invited businesses and investors to take advantage of the NPA’s simplified export processes and the many opportunities it provides.
“As part of our commitment to strengthening the local economy and balancing trade, we introduced Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) to streamline the complex export process,” he said. These terminals serve as centralized facilities for consolidating, packaging, certifying, documenting, and dispatching export goods through the ports, using an electronic call-up system that reduces delays and bureaucratic inefficiencies.
To further enhance connectivity between the ports and inland areas, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Dr. Dantsoho explained that the EPTs are integrated with Domestic Export Warehouses (DEWs), Inland Dry Ports, and work in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
He also announced that the NPA is consolidating its various operational systems under one unified digital platform—the Ports Community System (PCS). This platform, he said, lays the foundation for the National Single Window (NSW), which will create a transparent, efficient, and fully digitized trade environment by reducing human interference and delays.
“The National Single Window is the global benchmark for streamlining trade processes,” Dr. Dantsoho added. “It connects all players in the trade ecosystem, enabling real-time, seamless interaction.”
In closing, he reiterated that the NPA has established frameworks to connect even the most remote producers in the hinterlands to international markets and assured stakeholders that the NPA remains open to partnerships beyond the trade fair.
He encouraged all interested parties to explore the NPA’s offerings by visiting its fully interactive, real-time website: www.nigerianports.gov.ng.
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