NPA, Dangote to deepen maritime sector, expand export operations

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Dangote Industries Ltd. (DIL) have collaborated on developing the Marine and Blue Economy sector, with a focus on expanding the nation’s export operations. General Manager, Communication and Strategy, NPA, Okechukwu Onyemekara, disclose this after a courtesy visit by DIL President, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, to NPA Headquarters, in Lagos on Monday. Mr. Onyemakara said in a statement that Dangote elaborated on efforts to expand export products outside Nigeria. He said that the company would soon expand its export operations, adding that its cement factory at Itori had already started cement exportation. Dangote said that the Itori cement factory had six million tons of cement designated for export. “In the next couple of weeks, we will start exporting coal out of Nigeria. Our fertilizer export will almost be like eight cargos. “The refinery operations will not export less than 25 million tons of various products. “We will also be exporting almost about 600,000 to 700,000 metric tons of polypropylene. So when you are talking about export, we are going to be very big. “In the next two years, we will be exporting about 16,000 tons of fertilizer. 16,000 tons of fertilizer, it’s actually about $6.5 million to $7 million revenue that will be coming into the country on a daily basis,” Dangote said. He said that as part of its export program, DIL will be the major supplier of foreign exchange earnings in Nigeria, and that the operations of Nigerian ports would double in the next two years. Dangote promised to frequently highlight the port situation to enable the Federal Government to consider NPA for necessary support. He commended NPA for encouraging export at the various ports across the country. “The interaction between NPA and DIL is very important for the growth of the industry and to deepen the Marine and Blue Economy, and we have agreed to collaborate for the benefit of Nigeria. “The size of our own operation at Lekki alone is going to be almost 240 ships of crude, with each ship carrying one million crude each. And then we’ll have products that will amount to over 600 ships in a year. “Then we also have our fertilizer operation, which will be loading almost eight ships. This is an operation that has never, ever been seen in the country,” Dangote said. He explained operational challenges with export, adding that he hoped they would be resolved and that they would be able to deliver with the present leadership of NPA. Dangote said that their operation could falter if the company was not given the necessary requirements needed for their operations. He acknowledged the need for the Federal Government to support NPA with more equipment such as tugboats, among others. In his remark, the Managing Director of NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, thanked Dangote for commending the authority for the benefits of the Naira for Crude sale policy of the Federal Government. Dantsoho also praised Dangote for appreciating the establishment of the One Stop Shop policy on the Naira for Crude deal, being coordinated by the Nigerian Port Authority. “Dangote appreciated the fact that the government initiative has contributed immensely to achieving more efficiency in the area of transactions and operations among Nigerian government agencies. “This is something that started on the 1st of October 2024, and so far, we have treated or operated over 57 vessels every month. The projected volume that Dangote is looking at per annum is 600 vessels. “If you do 56, 57 vessels into 12 months, you will see that we are already doing bigger than the projection. We will continue to do our best with support from government,” Dantsoho said. “The last time government built a new port in Nigeria was 1977, which was Tin-Can Island Port. There is already an approval for the port modernisation of both Tin-Can and Apapa ports. “We are looking at maybe the third quarter of this year to commence construction, which is on the brownfield development. “On the greenfield part, we have deep seaport development projects that have already been approved by the Federal Executive Council. We have Ibom Port, Bakasi Port, Olokola, Ondo Port, and Badagry in Lagos. “These are new ports that the government is concerned about. Very soon, we’ll begin to see that these ports will become reality,” Dantsoho said. NPA boss said that 95 per cent of cargoes approved through the National Single Window established by the government were ready for the Port Community System. He urged other government agencies to collaborate to enhance port efficiency, adding that other sectors of the economy would witness progress as well. 

Stevedore Services: Transportation Ministry to shut down Chevron Warri Jetty

The Federal Ministry of Transportation has disclosed its intention to shut down the Chevron Warri Jetty within two weeks following overt disregard by Chevron Nigeria Limited to hinder stevedore services regardless of extant laws and standard procedures. The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, who made this known at a meeting between Chevron Nigeria Limited, Bena-Franco, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the National Inland Waterways (NIWA) at the Ministry in Abuja, stated that the Ministry of Transportation has the mandate to guide activities going on in the maritime sector and will act accordingly to protect that at all times. In this regard, Ajani informed representatives of Chevron that the Nigerian Ports Authority as the master stevedore has assigned a stevedore company in the last two years to the Warri jetty and has been denied access by Chevron despite all efforts by NPA. Chevron also has avoided all meetings by the Federal Ministry of Transportation & National Stevedore Association to resolve this matter. She advised that it will be in their best interest to grant Bena – Franco access to the jetty. “You have the next two (2) weeks to register this stevedore that has been assigned to you by the Federal Government of Nigeria to oversee what goes on at that jetty” Ajani emphasised. In addition, the inability of representatives of Chevron Nigeria Limited to substantiate the status of the operating license for the jetty, the Permanent Secretary mandated the task force on private jetties to avail her evidence of approval granted to the company immediately. Furthermore, she noted that failure to comply within the next two weeks will leave the Ministry with no option but to shut operations at the Warri jetty.