Investors of deep seaports at in dilemma over NPA declaration

A number of deep seaport projects planned by prospective private and state government ownerships across the country, may not get approval from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

The Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Usman said no seaport would be approved pending the outcome a 25-year port master plan which the Federal Ministry of Transportation through the NPA is currently working on.

Some of the proposed deep-sea ports are in Lagos and Ogun/Ondo states and Cross River and Akwa-Ibom states respectively.

The ports are the Lekki Deep Seaport and the Badagry Deep Seaport in Lagos, the Olokunla Port in Ogun and Ondo states and the Ibom Deep Seaport in Ibaka, Akwa-Ibom State.

Experts have also raised concerns on the need to concentrate on just one or two of them owing to the current economic situation in the country. Most of the ports are being developed in partnerships with the Federal Government through the NPA.

A Master Mariner and former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Capt Adamu Biu said:  “I strongly advise that we get only one deep seaport off now because of current economic situation and even if we have private participation coming up for all these deep seaports, we know that the terms will keep changing.  With concerns that there is just one channel and point of entry in some of the areas, such as the Calabar and Akwa-Ibom coastal axis, the NPA boss, Usman said not all of the planned ports would eventually be approved.

Also, Usman added: “We have the nod from the Ministry of Transport that no port will be approved pending the outcome of the 25-year port master plan which we are currently working on. And of course, we understand that with what we are doing regarding the port master plan, not all of the ports will be approved eventually.”