The Federal Government has given approval for maintenance dredging of the $1.5 billion Lekki deep seaport channel, ensuring that it’s 16.5-meter depth is maintained.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho, announced this during his inaugural visit to the port over the weekend.
Dantsoho, accompanied by senior NPA management, emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting the port’s operations and urged Lekki Port to further consolidate its transshipment volumes, particularly to landlocked neighboring countries.
“The rise in throughput volume at Lekki Port is exciting to us,” Dantsoho stated.
He highlighted Lekki Port’s capacity to berth super post-Panamax vessels and deliver rapid cargo and vessel turnaround, calling it a “game-changer for Nigeria’s export competitiveness,” especially for agro-allied products as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gains momentum.
“The port’s efficiency is driving steady increases in transshipment numbers, meeting the maritime needs of neighboring countries and supporting NPA’s goal of achieving economies of scale.
“This enhanced competitiveness fuels demand, boosts foreign exchange inflows, and contributes significantly to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus, reinforcing the national economy, ” he said.
Dantsoho expressed satisfaction with the rising export figures, optimistically projecting a doubling or even tripling of export volumes in the near future.
He reaffirmed NPA’s commitment to ensuring this positive trend continues.
To achieve this, Dantsoho outlined five key initiatives. “Number one, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, with the recommendation of the Nigerian Port Authority has gotten the approval for the dredging of the channel at Lekki Port,” he revealed. This has been a goal for “almost two or three years,” he added.
Furthermore, NPA has syndicated a strategic partnership agreement with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to undertake the dredging, in a move to strengthen the relationship and grow Nigeria’s trade volumes.
Addressing automation, the NPA MD commended Lekki Port for its modern technological infrastructure.
“Lekki Port is up to date with the technologies and we are very happy about that,” he said.
He noted that the port’s advanced technology would be a key requirement for the deployment of the national Port Community System, a precursor to the National Single Window, aiming for 100 percent technological capability across all port locations.
Dantsoho also confirmed that the contract for the channel survey, a major requirement for international port and harbor navigation systems, has been awarded, promising greater optimization in channel management around Lekki Port.
Responding to Lekki Port’s request for a reduction in Ship Dues, Dantsoho acknowledged the “dollarized” nature of equipment purchases like navigational buoys and tug boats, which are essential for port efficiency.
While acknowledging the need to alleviate the burden on Lekki Port, he emphasized the NPA’s need for sufficient funds to maintain operations and adequately compensate personnel.
He expressed optimism that the full deployment of the Single Window, leading to a nearly 95 percent paperless port process, would triple revenue and eliminate unreceipted payments.
“When this happens,” he stated, “it is believed that we are going to make more money. At that point, I think NPA will look at the possibility of bringing down the Ship Dues.”
The NPA MD commended Lekki Deep Seaport’s management for its sustained superior performance, reiterating NPA’s unwavering commitment to providing all necessary support to optimize the port’s potential.
Earlier, Lekki Port MD, Wang Qiang, had presented several key requests to the NPA MD, including an adjustment of the tariff structure to reflect service costs and inflation, a reduction in Ship Dues for large vessels and feeders to enhance port competitiveness, and the provision of night pilotage services to enable 24/7 operations and improve vessel turnaround time.
Photo caption:
L-R: Managing Director, Lekki Port, Mr. Qiang Wang; Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho; Executive Director Finance & Administration NPA, Vivian Richard-Edet, and Board Chairman, Lekki Port, Mr. Abiodun Dabiri when the NPA management team paid performance enhancement visit to Lekki deep seaport in Lagos on Saturday.
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