Abubakar Dantsoho, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), warned that Nigeria must attract fresh investment in deeper seaports and cargo‑handling facilities to keep pace with its expanding economy. He made the remarks at a maritime‑focused event in London, highlighting that the country’s flagship Lekki Deep Sea Port has already reached full capacity only three years after it began operations.
The rapid exhaustion of Lekki’s capacity, Dantsoho said, underscores the mounting pressure on existing port infrastructure as cargo volumes surge. Nigeria’s growing population – the largest in Africa – and accelerating urbanisation are driving a sharp rise in demand for maritime services, while longstanding infrastructure deficits compound the challenge.
“The investment needed in ports to meet this expansion and growth can only happen if the requisite private investment is attracted and retained, which is what President Tinubu has created the enabling atmosphere for,” Dantsoho said.
He added that Africa’s largely untapped maritime potential offers investors long‑term returns, and that the Tinubu administration is positioning the sector as an attractive destination for private capital. Dantsoho emphasized that the infrastructure gap in Nigeria’s ports must be addressed quickly to sustain economic growth.
His comments come amid controversy over power equipment that has sat idle at Nigerian ports for more than a decade. Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe issued a statement on Thursday confirming that the government has begun moving the dormant equipment, aiming to resolve the long‑standing bottleneck.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
