Blue Economy
Dantsoho’s Eastern Ports Revolution: Transforming Nigeria’s Maritime Landscape for Economic Diversification
Dantsoho’s Eastern Ports Revolution: Transforming Nigeria’s Maritime Landscape for Economic Diversification
The Nigerian Ports Authority MD is spearheading a comprehensive strategy to revitalize eastern ports, breaking Lagos’ decades-long dominance while positioning Nigeria as a key player in African maritime trade.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) under Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho’s leadership is orchestrating a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s maritime operations, transforming long-neglected eastern ports into competitive gateways that could reshape the nation’s economic future.
For decades, Nigeria’s maritime story was simple: Lagos first, everywhere else second. The eastern ports of Port Harcourt, Onne, Warri, and Calabar remained underutilized despite their strategic proximity to key industrial clusters and resource corridors. While Lagos absorbed over 90% of maritime traffic, eastern facilities operated below a third of their capacity, hamstrung by weak infrastructure and limited connectivity.
Today, that narrative is changing dramatically.
Dantsoho’s hands-on approach has begun yielding tangible results. His investment-focused tours across eastern ports have generated significant expressions of interest for Rivers, Calabar, and Burutu ports. A milestone moment came on July 31, 2025, when the wholly Nigerian-owned MV Ocean Dragon made its celebrated call at Onne’s West African Container Terminal (WACT).
The vessel, with its 349 TEU capacity, will ply routes across West, Central, and Southern Africa, embodying the federal government’s “Nigeria First” policy and establishing Nigeria as a formidable player in intra-African trade.
This repositioning offers shippers compelling advantages: reduced turnaround times, closer access to South-East and North-Central industrial clusters, lower transportation costs, and more efficient movement of agricultural and mineral products. These benefits align perfectly with Nigeria’s deeper participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) regime.
The NPA introduced revised tariffs effective March 1, 2025, balancing operational costs with competitiveness while advancing the Authority’s 25-year master plan. This plan emphasizes automation, cybersecurity, and sustainability, including a proposed “Green Craft Acquisition Fund” for IMO-compliant vessels.
Strategic partnerships are driving unprecedented growth. Hapag-Lloyd’s weekly service at Onne now connects Eastern Nigeria to global routes, enhancing transshipment opportunities under AfCFTA. Collaborations with the Nigeria Customs Service for 24-hour operations aim to reduce cargo release times and prevent diversions to neighboring ports.
The results speak volumes. Service boat Gross Registered Tonnage rose 129.3% to 4.58 million tons in 2024. Eastern ports now accommodate larger vessels safely, with stakeholders like Indorama reporting significantly higher export tonnages.
The NPA has secured $1.1 billion for comprehensive rehabilitation across eastern ports. At Onne Port Complex, a Public-Private Partnership with WACT Nigeria Limited has advanced Terminal ‘B’ expansion to 62% completion, with over $110 million invested. This upgrade forms part of a broader $2.9 billion Onne Port Expansion Phase 4B project—Africa’s largest port investment over the past decade.
Key infrastructure projects include road network integration at Onne’s Berths 9-11, authority-wide installation of marine fenders, and surveys for shore protection at Escravos breakwaters in Warri. Channel dredging and rehabilitation continue at Warri, Onne, and Calabar to accommodate larger vessels, with draught depths targeted at 11 meters for Onne and Calabar.
Beyond infrastructure, the NPA is central to the federal government’s economic diversification through sustainable blue economy ventures. Ship building, repairs, and dry dock activities are attracting significant attention and investment.
Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, founder of Starz Marine and Engineering Limited in Rivers State, recently disclosed Afrexim Bank’s commitment of a $350 million loan to facilitate shipbuilding and yard expansion. This investment will expand Starz’s shipyard from 500 tons to 10,000-ton lifting capacity, providing quality ship repair and building services previously unavailable locally.
The NPA has acquired state-of-the-art harbor craft, including two 80-tonne Bollard Pull tugboats (M.T. Maikoko and M.T. Da-Opukuro)—the first of their kind in Africa. These vessels have eliminated berthing and sailing delays, contributing to an average vessel turnaround time of 5.16 days.
The Electronic Call-up (Eto) system and Export Processing Terminals have streamlined operations, boosting export volumes by 60% in some terminals. The opening of ‘Road D’ at Onne has alleviated logistics bottlenecks, earning commendations from truckers and supporting multimodal transport aligned with International Association for Ports and Harbours standards.
The transformation is already reflected in financial projections. The NPA anticipates N1.28 trillion in revenue for 2025, up from N894.86 billion in 2024, with eastern port development contributing significantly to this projected increase.
New incentive regimes encourage patronage of non-Lagos ports, including discounts and streamlined processes for eastern corridors. These align with the federal government’s infrastructure modernization, operational efficiency, and indigenous participation emphasis in the maritime sector.
The impact extends beyond ports to regional economies. Manufacturers in Aba, traders in Onitsha, and industrial clusters in Nnewi can now route cargo through nearby eastern ports, saving substantial time and costs. This transformation positions Onne to strengthen its dominance as the Gulf of Guinea’s offshore logistics hub while establishing Port Harcourt and Calabar as vital lifelines to South-East Nigeria and Central Africa.
Under Marine & Blue Economy Minister Adegboyega Oyetola’s supervision, these comprehensive efforts promise sustained ease of doing business and blue economy optimization. As transshipment figures rise and trade surpluses grow, the eastern ports are positioned for increased vessel traffic and investment, contributing to Nigeria’s maritime renaissance.
Dr. Dantsoho’s extensive experience—from youth corps service to rising through NPA ranks—has positioned him as President Tinubu’s most seasoned maritime appointee. His leadership is creating an enabling environment for unfettered growth in Nigeria’s blue economy ecosystem, potentially establishing Nigeria as West and Central Africa’s leading maritime nation.
The eastern ports transformation represents more than infrastructure development; it’s a strategic repositioning that could fundamentally alter Nigeria’s economic geography and maritime influence across Africa.