NPA Moves to Upgrade Onne, Warri, and Calabar Ports to Boost Cargo Traffic

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has announced major investments in the rehabilitation of key Eastern ports, including Onne Port, Warri Port, and Calabar Port, aiming to boost cargo traffic and enhance operational capacity.

Speaking at the 37th Enugu International Trade Fair, Managing Director of NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, said the authority is also offering technical guidance to deep-seaport developers to ensure sustainable vessel and cargo movement to the Eastern ports.

Dantsoho explained that the NPA has implemented a comprehensive strategy to increase Nigeria’s non-oil exports through infrastructure renewal, streamlined export processes, and full automation of port operations. He highlighted the importance of Enugu as a commercial gateway to the South-East hinterland, which presents opportunities for agro-allied and other exportable products.

Central to the reforms is the introduction of Export Process Terminals (EPTs), designed as one-stop hubs for cargo consolidation, documentation, packaging, certification, and shipment. “The EPTs eliminate duplications and bureaucratic overlaps that previously made Nigerian exports less competitive,” Dantsoho said. These terminals will also connect with Domestic Export Warehouses in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and other partners to strengthen port-hinterland connectivity.

In line with the Federal Government’s ease-of-doing-business agenda, the NPA is pursuing full automation via the National Single Window (NSW) system, aiming to remove human interface and curb underhand practices in port operations.

Dantsoho assured investors and exporters of NPA’s readiness to partner and encouraged them to leverage the authority’s platforms and services to expand trade opportunities.