NPA lauds NEPC for boosting exports, pledges to improve port operations

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has commended the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) for its excellent work, evident in the increased export numbers passing through the ports.

Abubakar Dantsoho, the NPA managing director, spoke during the three-day NPA management retreat in Onne, Rivers state, themed ‘Repositioning Nigerian Ports System for Sustainability’.

On Sunday, the NEPC said non-oil products exported in the first half (H1) of 2025 increased to $3.22 billion, up 19.59 percent when compared to the $2.69 billion recorded in the same period of 2024.

At the NPA management retreat, Dantsoho tasked the team to sustain port efficiency improvements amid positive export performance recorded thus far in the successive quarters of 2025.

“We are proud of the excellent work being undertaken by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council as evident in the increased export numbers passing through our platforms, but we cannot rest on our laurels, we must commit to a continuous improvement paradigm of port operations and service delivery that places high premium on issues of sustainability,” he said.

“Minimising environmental impact through eco-friendliness, promotion of social responsibility, and ensuring long-term economic viability are the drivers of global progress, and we cannot afford to be left behind. We owe posterity a duty to infuse sustainability paradigms into the way we do things.”

At the retreat, the NPA management team undertook a business process re-engineering to identify and address bottlenecks, optimise operational processes, and enhance service delivery.

Adegboyega Oyetola, minister of marine and blue economy, directed the signing of the NPA performance bond, reinforcing commitment to operational excellence and achieving President Bola Tinubu’s objectives.

Additionally, the NPA has welcomed the maiden call of the first wholly Nigerian-owned container vessel, ‘MV Ocean Dragon,’ at the Eastern Port of Onne.

The vessel will operate weekly from Onne via the Calabar channel, servicing ports in several countries, including Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and South Africa.