NPA non-oil export strategy aims to boost trade with port automation, infrastructure upgrades, and simplified export processes for SMEs

The Nigerian Ports Authority has unveiled a comprehensive strategy to expand the nation’s non-oil exports, focusing on port infrastructure renewal, simplification of export procedures, and full automation of port operations.

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Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the NPA, announced the initiative during his keynote address at the 37th Enugu International Trade Fair in Enugu State.

Dantsoho highlighted the strategic importance of Enugu as a commercial gateway to Nigeria’s South-East and emphasised the potential for agro-allied products and other local goods to reach global markets.

“The strategic positioning of Enugu as the gateway to the South-Eastern hinterland presents huge opportunities for the expansion of export opportunities, which is the focal point of the Nigerian Ports Authority,” Dantsoho said.

He also commended the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture for sustaining the trade fair as a platform for enterprise growth and international trade engagement.

As part of efforts to boost cargo traffic, the NPA is investing in the rehabilitation of key eastern ports, including Onne, Warri, and Calabar, while supporting the development of new deep seaports across the region.

“In addition to our renewed investment in Eastern Ports infrastructure, we are providing bespoke technical guidance to proponents of deep seaports in a bid to drive vessel and cargo traffic to the Eastern flank on a sustainable frequency,” he added.

Central to the reform agenda is the establishment of Export Process Terminals (EPTs), designed to simplify export procedures and reduce inefficiencies.

Dantsoho explained that EPTs function as one-stop hubs for cargo consolidation, documentation, packaging, certification, and onward shipment.

“The EPTs were conceptualised to eliminate duplications and bureaucratic overlaps that previously rendered Nigerian exports uncompetitive,” he said.

The NPA is also pursuing full automation of its processes through the National Single Window (NSW) system to enhance efficiency and curb underhand dealings.

Dantsoho described the NSW as a globally recognised system enabling seamless interaction among all stakeholders in the trade value chain at the push of a button.

To strengthen port-hinterland connectivity, the EPTs will be linked with Domestic Export Warehouses in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and other partners, opening up export opportunities nationwide.

Dantsoho urged investors and exporters to leverage the NPA’s platforms, saying, “Our doors are always open for partnerships.

We have put measures in place to link value creators in the remotest part of the hinterland with the farthest clusters of demand anywhere on the globe.”

Also read: NPA Reports 1,085% Surge in Export Containers

The strategy represents a bold step by the NPA to modernise Nigeria’s port system, enhance export competitiveness, and position non-oil trade as a key driver of economic growth.