MARITIME: Nigeria Is Africa’s Giant With Dwarf Seaports – NPA Boss

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has warned that Nigeria’s economic status as Africa’s largest economy risks being undermined by the underperformance of its seaports.

Speaking at a maritime forum organised by the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS), Dantsoho compared Nigeria’s maritime profile with global benchmarks, where population size, economic strength, and port dominance are aligned.

“In North America, the United States has the largest economy, biggest population, and the busiest seaport the Port of Los Angeles. In Europe, Germany leads with its population, economy, and the Port of Hamburg. In Asia, China stands tall with Shanghai as its dominant hub,” he said.

By contrast, he lamented, Nigeria despite being Africa’s most populous nation and biggest economy trails behind smaller countries in port competitiveness.

“The busiest seaport in West Africa today is Abidjan in Ivory Coast. Nigeria is not even second. Officially, Nigeria handles just 2 million TEUs,” he noted, adding that South Africa, with a population of 63 million, still dominates the continent with Johannesburg serving its largest port.

Dantsoho described this imbalance as “a missed opportunity” and called for urgent reforms to reposition Nigeria’s maritime sector.

“God has given Nigeria the highest population and the biggest economy in Africa. There is no reason why our ports should not lead the continent,” he said, st

the need to “reconfigure and redefine” the nation’s port system.

The NPA boss, however, expressed optimism that the Tinubu administration is already addressing the challenge by initiating reforms aimed at modernising Nigeria’s ports and aligning them with the country’s economic and demographic strength.

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