Tinubu Approves $1 Billion Overhaul of Nigeria’s Major Seaports to Boost Trade and Investment
President Bola Tinubu has approved a $1 billion comprehensive reconstruction of Nigeria’s major seaports — Apapa, Tin Can Island, Calabar, Warri, and Port Harcourt — in a move aimed at modernizing the nation’s maritime infrastructure and positioning it for global competitiveness. The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this at the ongoing World Ports Conference in Kobe, Japan, where global port leaders are gathered under the theme “Reinvention and Prosperity in Turbulent Times.”
According to Dantsoho, the reconstruction is expected to commence in early 2026 after the completion of key engineering, environmental, and design studies. The NPA boss said the multi-billion-dollar project is a centerpiece of the federal government’s strategy to rejuvenate Nigeria’s port operations, attract foreign investment, and drive economic diversification. He emphasized that the entire work would be completed within 48 months, transforming the ports into efficient, technology-driven trade hubs.
Dr. Dantsoho noted that President Tinubu’s economic reforms have already begun restoring investor confidence, with several international players expressing strong interest in Nigeria’s maritime sector. He praised the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for his leadership in championing the sector as a key driver of the government’s $1 trillion economy target. “We are attracting global attention again,” he said, “and investors are ready to commit because they see a government that is serious about reforms.”
He stressed that collaboration and trust between public and private stakeholders remain vital to achieving success in port development. “Investing in ports is a long-term commitment — infrastructure that lasts at least 50 years,” he explained. “For investors to come, they need to trust the system, and that’s what we are building through international partnerships, especially with Singapore’s Port Authority, which will manage Nigeria’s national single window system.”
Highlighting the importance of technology and automation, Dantsoho revealed that Nigeria must embrace smart port operations to remain competitive. He said the future of maritime logistics lies in automation, with some nations already developing autonomous ships expected to dominate global waters by 2040. “Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind,” he added. “Through foreign partnerships and private investment, we will equip our ports with the technology and systems needed to compete in the 21st-century maritime economy.”
source: arise