The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, said six berths at the Rivers Port Complex have been reconstructed and strengthened as part of ongoing infrastructure renewal aimed at improving operational efficiency and accommodating larger vessels.

He also disclosed that the Federal Government has begun paying the counterpart funding required to access the £746 million United Kingdom (UK)-backed loan for the upgrade of the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.

Dantsoho, who disclosed this yesterday at the Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) 2026 yearly conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said the navigation channels are also being deepened to enable bigger ships to berth at the ports, thereby boosting cargo traffic and reducing the dependence on road transportation from ports in other parts of the country.

Represented by the Manager of the Rivers Port Complex, Kenechi Okaeze, Dantsoho specifically assured stakeholders that the management of the NPA has not abandoned the Eastern Ports, contrary to concerns expressed by some industry players.

Responding to concerns that the Eastern Ports had been neglected, Dantsoho said the Federal Government and the management of the NPA were making sustained efforts to rehabilitate and modernise port infrastructure across the region.

“It is not correct to say that management has abandoned the Eastern Ports. As we speak, some of the structures are being rehabilitated. We know the Eastern Ports have proximity to key markets, which is why the government is making consistent efforts to ensure the ports are rehabilitated and fully functional. This will allow vessels to come directly here and save the cost of transporting goods by road,” she said.

He noted that reviving the Eastern Ports would also address safety concerns associated with moving large volumes of cargo over long distances by road.

He expressed optimism that the ongoing rehabilitation projects would soon yield results, assuring stakeholders that the Eastern Ports would regain their strategic position in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

The NPA boss further stated that contractors are set to move to the Apapa and Tin Can ports site following the completion of preliminary activities, including critical site investigations and borehole drilling.

He noted that the port modernisation programme has moved from planning into the active pre-construction and procurement phase, with significant progress on funding, site preparations, and new operational measures to tackle congestion.

“NPA has secured key financing and is now releasing funds. The Federal Government has begun paying the counterpart funding required to access the £746 million UK-backed loan for the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports upgrade. This is part of the broader $1 billion reconstruction programme for five major seaports.

“Preliminary on-the-ground activities have already been completed. Critical site investigations, including borehole drilling, have been concluded. Contractors are now expected to mobilise to site, with the NPA having held technical stakeholder meetings to assess progress and address gaps,” he noted.

Dantsoho further stated that while physical construction has not yet begun, the groundbreaking for the Apapa and Tin Can modernisation projects is imminent. (The Guardian)

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