By Peace Udugba
The President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), Abubakar Dantsoho, has said Africa must urgently modernise its ports and maritime infrastructure to remain competitive in global trade.
Dantsoho, who is also the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, stated this at the closing session of the PMAWCA meetings held in Lagos.
According to him, meaningful economic growth cannot be achieved with outdated port infrastructure, stressing that investment in modern ports, deep sea facilities, automation, and technology has become necessary across the continent.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy for policies aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Dantsoho noted that ports remain critical to economic development, adding that countries cannot grow their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) without expanding and modernising their port systems.
“This is an industry that requires huge investment in infrastructure. You cannot make progress with obsolete facilities and still expect to receive newer and larger vessels,” he said.
He compared port modernisation to the renovation of old hotels, explaining that facilities built decades ago must be upgraded continuously to meet modern demands and expectations.
The PMAWCA President disclosed that several countries in West and Central Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Benin Republic, are currently undertaking major port modernisation projects to improve competitiveness and attract global shipping traffic.
According to him, Nigeria is presently refurbishing the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports as medium-term measures while pursuing the development of more deep sea ports to accommodate future trade volumes.
He described the Lekki Deep Sea Port as a significant step forward but stressed that Africa must develop larger and more sophisticated maritime facilities similar to global shipping hubs.
Dantsoho cited examples of ongoing global investments, noting that Singapore is building ports with hundreds of berths, while Guinea is developing a $20 billion deep sea port project.
“These are the kinds of investments Africa must pursue if we want to compete globally,” he added.
He also highlighted the growing importance of technology, automation, artificial intelligence, and robotics in modern port operations, saying efficient maritime administration now depends heavily on digital and data-driven systems.
According to him, the Nigerian Ports Authority has achieved nearly 90 percent automation in its operations through electronic payment and cargo processing systems.
He further noted that the electronic call-up system introduced at Apapa Port has significantly reduced traffic congestion around the port corridor.
“Today, you can go into Apapa and leave within minutes. Before now, people spent hours and sometimes slept on the bridge because of congestion,” he said.
Dantsoho stated that Nigeria currently accounts for more than 70 percent of cargo traffic entering the West and Central African sub-region because of its large population, market size, and strategic location.
He explained that Nigeria also serves several landlocked neighbouring countries, including Niger, Chad, Mali, and Burkina Faso, making the country a major maritime hub in the region.
The PMAWCA President stressed the need for stronger regional collaboration among African port authorities, noting that member countries are increasingly sharing experiences, operational strategies, and performance benchmarks to improve efficiency and competitiveness.
He added that Africa’s future economic growth would depend largely on how quickly the continent adapts to global maritime realities through infrastructure renewal, technological advancement, and regional integration.
