Dantsoho: Africa’s Economic Growth Hindered by Outdated Port Infrastructure

Eromosele Abiodun

Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), urged substantial investment in modern ports, technology, and deep‑sea facilities, arguing that Africa cannot achieve meaningful economic growth with outdated port infrastructure.

Dantsoho said that countries across West and Central Africa have committed to modernising their ports to stay competitive in global trade and to accommodate larger vessels.

Speaking at the closing of the PMAWCA meetings in Lagos, Dantsoho praised President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola for providing policy direction that is repositioning Nigeria’s maritime sector.

He noted that port infrastructure is the backbone of economic growth, stating that no country can expand its GDP without expanding and modernising its ports.

“This is an industry that requires huge investment in infrastructure. You cannot make progress with obsolete facilities and still expect to receive newer and larger vessels. You cannot have a hotel built 50 years ago and expect modern customers to continue coming without refurbishment. It is the same thing with ports,” he said.

He added that countries in the sub‑region, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Benin Republic, are currently repositioning their port systems through upgrades and modernisation projects.

Dantsoho disclosed that while Nigeria is refurbishing Apapa and Tin Can Island ports as a medium‑term solution, the country must ultimately develop more modern deep‑sea ports capable of handling future trade volumes.

He noted that the Lekki Deep Sea Port, with two berths, represents progress, but Africa must aim for larger and more sophisticated facilities comparable to global maritime hubs.

“In Singapore, they are building ports with hundreds of berths. Guinea is developing a $20 billion deep‑sea port project. These are the kinds of investments Africa must begin to pursue if we want to compete globally,” he said.

He also highlighted the growing role of technology, automation, artificial intelligence and robotics in port operations, insisting that data‑driven systems are now central to efficient maritime administration.

According to him, the NPA has achieved nearly 90 percent automation in its operations, with electronic payment and cargo processing systems significantly improving efficiency.

He cited the electronic call‑up system introduced at Apapa Port as one of the innovations that has drastically reduced traffic congestion around the port corridor.

“Today, you can go into Apapa and leave within minutes. Before now, people spent hours and sometimes slept on the bridge because of congestion,” he said.

Dantsoho further stated that Nigeria currently accounts for over 70 percent of cargo traffic entering the West and Central African sub‑region due to its large population, market size and strategic position in serving landlocked neighbouring countries such as Niger, Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso.

He explained that Nigeria’s huge consumer market, combined with its youthful population, gives the country enormous maritime and economic potential if supported with modern infrastructure.

“Our market extends beyond Nigeria because several landlocked countries depend on Nigerian ports. But to sustain that advantage, we must provide deeper waters, stronger quays and modern infrastructure that can accommodate bigger ships,” he added.

He also stressed the importance of regional collaboration and peer review among African port authorities under PMAWCA, saying member countries are increasingly sharing experiences, performance benchmarks and strategies to improve operational efficiency and competitiveness across the region.

According to him, Africa’s future economic growth will depend heavily on how quickly its maritime sector adapts to global realities through infrastructure renewal, technological innovation and regional integration.