In a bid to fill infrastructure gaps in the nation’s ports sector, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has pledged to revive the moribund Eastern Ports with a view to strengthening the country’s diversification options through sustainable blue economy ventures like ship building, ship repairs and other dry dock activities.
The Authority explained in a statement made available to Tentacle by the General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Ikechukwu Onyemekara that the Managing Director of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, remains focused on sustaining conscious efforts aimed at improving ship traffic to the eastern ports and repositioning them for maximum efficiency.
The statement affirmed that as part of the Authority’s contributions to the Nigerian economy, Dantsoho and his management team are working tirelessly to maximize the potentials of Onne and Port Harcourt ports, while also reviving the existing ports in Calabar, Warri and other parts of the South-South region without losing focus on greenfield port projects.
“The Eastern Ports in Port Harcourt, Onne, Warri and Calabar were neglected despite their proximity to key markets and resource corridors. Despite their potential, weak infrastructure and limited connectivity kept the Eastern ports underused as Lagos ports absorbed over 90 percent of maritime traffic, while Eastern facilities ran below a third of their capacity.
“But that story is changing under Dantsoho’s management of the NPA as the Eastern ports are being repositioned as a competitive gateway. For shippers, the benefits are obvious-shorter turnaround times, closer access to the South-East and North-Central industrial clusters, lower transportation costs and the ability to move agricultural and mineral products more efficiently.
“All these are aimed at deepening Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) regime.
To demonstrate his hands-on approach, Dantsoho embarked on a series of tours focused on driving investments into the Eastern Ports. These tours have started to yield expressions of interest for Rivers, Calabar and Burutu Ports. One of these is the recently celebrated call of the wholly Nigerian-owned MV Ocean Dragon at Onne’s West African Container Terminal (WACT) on July 31, 2025,” the NPA explained.
It pointed out that with a 349 TEU capacity, the MV Ocean Dragon will be plying routes across West, Central and Southern Africa, exemplifying the “Nigeria Firs” policy and pronouncing Nigeria as a key player in intra African trade. Through these efforts, the NPA is showing its commitment to integrating Nigerian producers with global markets and maximizing the immediate benefits of the proximate African trade corridor by water.
Dantsoho’s management also introduced new tariffs, which became effective on March 1, 2025. The tariffs reflect operational costs while maintaining competitiveness and enhancing the actualization of the Authority’s 25-year master plan, which emphasizes automation, cyber security and sustainability, including a proposed “Green Craft Acquisition Fund” for IMO-compliant vessels.
On partnerships and achievements on exports, the Authority clarified that it has continued to pursue strategic partnerships, which are driving growth, adding, “For instance, Hapag-Lloyd launched a weekly service at Onne, connecting Eastern Nigeria to global routes and enhancing transshipment under the AfCFTA. Collaborations with relevant agencies of government like the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for 24-hour operations are also aimed at reducing cargo release time and curb diversions to neighbouring ports.
“And performance metrics reflect success so far. Records show that service boat Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) rose 129.3 percent to 4.58 million tons in 2024. The Eastern Ports have also seen larger vessels berth safely with stakeholders like Indorama reporting higher export tonnages.
“In anticipation of the growth this progress indicates, the NPA projects ₦1.28 trillion in revenue for 2025, up from ₦894.86 billion in 2024. And the development in the Eastern Ports is expected to contribute significantly to the projected revenue increase.”
Buoyed by the results of its effort, the NPA says it is driving a new incentive regime to encourage patronage of non-Lagos ports, including discounts and streamlined processes for Eastern corridors. And in achieving that the Authority is aligning with the Federal Government’s “Nigeria First” which emphasises infrastructure modernization, operational efficiency and indigenous participation in the maritime sector. Discussions with stakeholders like the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) have, therefore, focused on boosting indigenous ownership and short-sea shipping.
To further underscore the Federal Government’s economic diversification, the NPA is rebuilding investors’ confidence to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) through viable private sector initiatives like ship building and repairs.
At a recent forum in Lagos, Founder of Starz Marine and Engineering Limited in Rivers State, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun said the company has committed a $350 million loan from Afrexim Bank to facilitate shipbuilding and expansion of the yard.
This, he stated, will aid the expansion of the Starz’s shipyard from 500 tons to 10,000 ton lifting capacity, 120 meter long circle lift, for the purpose of achieving quality ship repair and building which Nigerians have had cause to travel for.
On infrastructure modernization and capacity building, the NPA revealed that it has deployed adequate port infrastructure to accommodate larger vessels and reduce vessels turnaround time, maintaining that Port Harcourt, though historic, was underdeveloped, Onne thrived as an oil and gas base, but not for container-handling, Warri struggled with shallow approaches through Escravos, while Calabar battled draft restrictions that discouraged major carriers-barriers that created a cycle of neglect and reinforced the dominance of Lagos ports.
“The Dantsoho-led administration at NPA has, however, made breaking the cycle a priority. With reforms that include infrastructural and equipment upgrades, financial incentives, and stakeholder engagement have been put forward. Channel dredging and rehabilitation are said to be ongoing at Warri, Onne and Calabar to accommodate larger vessels.
“At Onne Port Complex, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with West African Container Terminal (WACT) Nigeria Limited has advanced Terminal ‘B’ expansion (Berths 7 and 8) to 62 percent completion with over $110 million already invested.
This upgrade is part of a broader $2.9 billion Onne Port Expansion Phase 4B project which is the largest port investment in Africa over the past decade.
“Additionally, a 6,000 metric ton bitumen tank is nearing completion at Rivers Port Complex, enhancing storage and supporting regional infrastructure needs. The NPA has also secured $1.1 billion for comprehensive rehabilitation of the Eastern Ports, including Onne, Rivers, Calabar and Warri. Key projects include road network integration at Onne Berths 9-11, installation of marine fenders authority-wide and surveys for shore protection at Escravos breakwaters in Warri.
“Navigational aids and buoys have been deployed in Warri and Calabar Pilotage Districts to improve channel marking and safety. These enhancements have led to unprecedented cargo traffic, particularly at Onne, attributed to improved channel security and reduced attacks on vessels,” the statement added.
Also, dredging efforts are also ongoing to increase draught depths, such as targeting 11 meters at Onne and Calabar to handle bigger ships with a mind on avoiding past situations like the stalled $12.5 million contract and legal conundrum.
Although Onne has welcomed ships that once avoided the corridor, security patrols across the Niger Delta are supported by partner agencies, thereby reducing piracy and other threats at sea, while reassuring international shipping lines of the security of their vessels. On the commercial side, tariff rebates on harbour dues have lowered cost for users of the Eastern ports, while terminal concessions are driving private investment in modern cargo-handling equipment.
Hopefully through the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail, the North-East would have a direct maritime outlet, where agricultural produce and solid minerals can be exported from. This is exactly what an efficient port system is.
Furthermore, the, NPA has acquired state-of-the-art harbour crafts, including two 80-ton Bollard Pull tugboats (M.T. Maikoko and M.T. Da-Opukuro), the first of their kind in Africa to eliminate berthing and sailing delays These vessels, complemented by additional tugboats and pilot cutters, have improved efficiency, with average vessel turnaround time dropping to 5.16 days so far. The Electronic Call-up (Eto) system and Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) have also streamlined operations, boosting export volumes by 60% in some terminals. Opening of ‘Road D’ at Onne has also alleviated logistics bottlenecks, attracting commendations from truckers. That is in addition to several other initiatives that support multimodal transport and align with International Association for Ports and Harbours (IAPH) standards for port-hinterland connectivity.
In all, the future outlook is poised to witness a robust and thriving Eastern Maritime Hub as the NPA’s multifaceted approach of combining infrastructure upgrades, equipment acquisitions, incentives and partnerships to improve delivery would position the Eastern Ports as vital economic engines.
“Under the supervision of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency, Adegboyega Oyetola, these efforts promise sustained ease of doing business and blue economy optimization. As transshipment figures from the Lekki Deep Seaport rise and trade surpluses grow, the Eastern Ports, with continued focus on security, dredging and indigenous capacity, are poised for even greater vessel traffic and investment, contributing to Nigeria’s maritime renaissance,” the NPA stated.
Another advantage of the Authority’s transformative initiatives is that Aba manufacturers and Onitsha traders will witness a facelift in their businesses.
“Manufacturers in Aba, traders in Onitsha and industrial clusters in Nnewi can now route their cargoes through the Eastern ports nearest to them, thereby saving time and money, thanks to the NPA. With this new dawn, Onne will strengthen its dominance as the Gulf of Guinea’s offshore logistics hub. Port Harcourt and Calabar can become lifelines to South-East and linkages to Cameroon and Central Africa.
“Under Dr. Dantsoho, NPA is championing a regime of deploying human resources and materials to where matters most, focusing attention on critical areas of NPA functions that affect the economy. His hands-on approach to management and leadership is providing a hybrid of government, private and sector collaboration that daily draws Nigeria closer to the full realization of becoming the leading maritime country in West and Central Africa.
“His impactful work-in-progress mode is a testament to his decades of involvement in port activities as a youth corps member in NPA to an employee who grew through the ranks that providence has seen to now lead the NPA as Managing Director. There is a consensus that he is President Tinubu’s most experienced maritime appointee, who justifies the trust by creating an enabling environment for unfettered growth in the nation’s blue economy ecosystem,” the statement concluded.
