Abubakar Dantsoho, the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has made known his plans to change Africa’s ports procedures following his inauguration as Vice President, Africa, of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH).
At the World Ports Conference in Japan, Dantsoho said his tenure will prioritise “effective policy implementation, regional cooperation, and enhanced trade facilitation” among African ports with a focus on innovation and automation.
He said his leadership will “infuse greater action behind the necessity of full automation of African ports as the most veritable tool for elimination of barriers to trade,” and push for “reinvention and prosperity in turbulent times” through port innovativeness capable of attracting sustainable investments, even in high-risk environments.
But he noted that unified action among African port authorities and stakeholders will be central to overcoming persistent challenges in policy and technological adoption.
“This responsibility has fired up my resolve to galvanise national and regional policy action steps geared towards institutionalising ports’ eco-friendliness in line with the dictates of IAPH’s World Ports Sustainability Program,” he said.
Leveraging his concurrent role as President of the Pan-African Association for Port Cooperation (PAPC), Dantsoho pledged to intensify collaboration among African ports while championing full automation as a catalyst for efficiency and trade growth.
