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Hosting global port confab’ll benefit Nigeria immensely — Usman

Managing-Director-Nigerian-Ports-Authority-Hadiza-Bala-Usman

Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman

The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Ms Hadiza Usman, has described Nigeria’s hosting of the International Association of Ports and Harbours’ Conference as a testament to the recognition of her efforts in building a virile maritime industry locally and cooperating with other nations to do same.

She said Nigeria, being a frontline maritime nation, had been at the forefront of promoting collaboration between ports all over the continent of Africa.

“The country plays host to the headquarters of Port Management of West and Central Africa and has over the years hosted technical committee meetings of the association and the women network of same association.

“Also, by the volume of trade of Nigeria being handled by six major port locations and the coming development of two major deep seaports, Nigeria has done well in building port infrastructure that has positioned it to be the hub for West and Central Africa,” she stated.

On the benefit accruing to Nigeria from hosting a conference of such magnitude, the NPA MD said, “The conference is bringing together ports from all over Africa and other international organisations to look at the challenge of hinterland connectivity on the continent.

“This will be of immense interest to Nigeria, as it is an issue we are grappling with and at the moment we command the largest economy in Africa.

“The conference is also going to attract major investors in the maritime industry from all over the world and with the attendance of our major partners, terminal operators and Joint Venture companies, the potential of the port industry in Nigeria will be marketed.”

According to her, participants will come from the World Trade Organisation, International Maritime Organisation, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, various African trade corridors including the Lagos-Abidjan Trade Corridor and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group.

“We also have international ports like the Antwerp Port Authority, Guangzhou Port Authority, Port of Miami, Florida and African ports such as Transnet National Port Authority (South Africa), Kenya Port Authority, Douala Port Authority Cameroon, Cotonou Port Authority, Benin and Abidjan Port Authority Cote d’Ivoire.

“To say the least, we have ports coming from all over Africa. It promises to be an event that will lift the face of maritime trade in Africa and specifically expose the potential of the Nigerian maritime industry to investors.”

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