By Tracy Moses
The National Coalition for Transformative Reforms (NCTR) has thrown its weight behind the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho, praising his leadership and describing his appointment by President Bola Tinubu as a major boost to the ongoing transformation of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The coalition said Dantsoho’s stewardship has strengthened the Federal Government’s drive to modernise the nation’s ports, improve operational efficiency and position Nigeria as a leading maritime hub in West and Central Africa.
The endorsement was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the coalition’s Executive Director, Dr. Richard Ocheje, who also applauded the Tinubu administration’s broader reform agenda in the marine and blue economy.
According to Ocheje, the administration has shown a strong commitment to repositioning the maritime industry through infrastructure renewal, digital transformation and regulatory reforms designed to boost trade, attract investment and increase government revenue.
He noted that under Dantsoho’s leadership, the NPA has implemented reforms that have enhanced public confidence in the agency while aligning with the Federal Government’s port modernisation objectives.
“The MD has within a short time given the NPA a brand new image. As a regulator, the agency has left no one in doubt that the man in charge is a square peg in a square hole,” Ocheje said.
Ocheje highlighted key infrastructure projects currently underway, including a £746 million United Kingdom-backed financing arrangement signed in March 2026 to support the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, and Tin Can Island Port.
He also pointed to the Federal Government’s proposed $1 billion seaport reconstruction programme, which is expected to facilitate the rehabilitation of five major ports—Apapa, Tin Can Island, Calabar, Warri, and Port Harcourt/Onne—over a 48-month period.
According to him, the government is equally advancing plans to develop five deep seaports in Badagry, Olokola, Ibom, Bakassi and Bonny as part of efforts to expand cargo handling capacity and strengthen Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure.
The NCTR executive director also commended the administration’s technology-driven reforms, particularly the implementation of the National Single Window platform, which he said would simplify cargo clearance processes, reduce vessel waiting time and improve efficiency across Nigerian ports.
“This digital platform is aimed at integrating port operations and streamlining cargo clearance, reducing vessel waiting and cargo turnaround times. No doubt, this will promote both efficiency and effectiveness,” he said.
On the regulatory front, Ocheje welcomed the passage of the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill by the National Assembly, describing it as a significant step towards strengthening governance in the maritime sector.
He said the proposed legislation would establish an independent economic regulator responsible for overseeing port tariffs, enforcing service standards and promoting transparency, efficiency and healthy competition across the industry.
Ocheje expressed optimism that the sustained implementation of the ongoing reforms would improve Nigeria’s ease of doing business, reinforce the country’s position as a regional maritime hub and unlock greater opportunities for investment, trade and economic growth.
The Federal Government has identified the Marine and Blue Economy as a critical pillar of its economic diversification strategy and a key source of non-oil revenue. Since establishing the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in 2023, the administration has rolled out a series of initiatives aimed at modernising port infrastructure, improving cargo handling and attracting greater private sector investment into the maritime industry.