Nigeria’s exports have increased by more than 25 per cent in the past two years, with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) crediting government reforms and its growing partnership with major terminal operators, particularly APM Terminals, for the impressive growth.
The NPA Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this at the ongoing Annual World Ports Conference in London, organised by the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH). He said the increase reflected stronger export performance across several sectors, including manufacturing and agriculture, rather than oil and gas alone, with commodities such as cocoa, cashew and other raw materials recording higher shipment volumes.
“Statistically, the exports from Nigeria in the last two years have increased by 25 per cent. These are exports that are not mainly oil and gas. We are also seeing growth in manufacturing and agriculture, particularly raw materials like cocoa and cashew,” Dantsoho said.
He attributed the improved performance partly to stronger collaboration between the NPA and major terminal operators, particularly APM Terminals, alongside reforms introduced by the Federal Government to improve port operations and cargo handling. To sustain the momentum, Dantsoho said the authority had established Export Processing Terminals to streamline the handling and documentation of export cargoes.
He disclosed that about four such terminals were currently operating across the country, with the NPA working alongside terminal operators, the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant agencies to ensure export goods were processed locally and met the required standards before shipment.
According to him, the reforms have also strengthened Nigeria’s capacity to benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), particularly by expanding trade opportunities with other African economies. He cited Nigeria’s growing engagement with Morocco, which he described as an emerging manufacturing hub for electric and other vehicles, as an example of opportunities for industrial and trade cooperation across the continent.
The NPA chief further disclosed that revenue generated from ports nationwide had quadrupled, alongside an increase in cargo volumes.