The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has disclosed plans to partner with the Belgian Government towards optimizing Nigeria’s existing seaports and developing new ones in the country.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko made this known when he played host to the Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Pieter LeenKnegt, who was on a working visit to the Authority’s corporate headquarters in Marina, Lagos.
Bello-Koko assured the visiting diplomat that the current leadership of the Authority under his watch will leave no stones unturned in its determination to upgrade and optimize the country’s existing port infrastructure as well as developing new one in line with efforts to increase the regional competitiveness of the seaports.
It would be recalled that following the coming on stream of the Lekki Deep Seaport, which is a fully automated seaport, the NPA secured the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the development of Badagry and Ondo Seaports.
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Speaking earlier, the Belgian Ambassador noted that his country was willing to partner Nigeria developing new seaports as well as optimising the existing ones, arguing that Nigeria occupies a strategic position in the entire African continent.
He commended the Bello-Koko-led management for the numerous giant strides it has taken in terms of upgrading existing port infrastructure including the upgrading of internal port access roads, the control towers for Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports, as well as fine-tuning the truck electronic call-up system, which has led to efficient traffic management, which has cleared the notorious Apapa gridlock, among other initiatives.
