The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has received widespread acclaim for its instrumental contributions to the nation’s economic growth, particularly through enhanced port operations that fueled a substantial trade surplus in 2025.
Official data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and insights from the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) reveal that Nigeria achieved a remarkable trade surplus surpassing ₦14 trillion from June to September 2025, Persecondnews reports.
This strong performance stemmed from improved efficiency at ports managed by the NPA, where export volumes significantly outstripped imports.
In the second quarter, the surplus reached ₦7.5 trillion, while the third quarter recorded ₦6.7 trillion—marking one of the most robust showings since the third quarter of 2024.
In celebration of these milestones, the NPA was bestowed with the prestigious “Outstanding Agency of the Year” title at the Champions Newspaper 2025 Awards ceremony, which took place in Lagos over the weekend.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, expressed gratitude for the honour.
Represented by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, the CEO said: “The award recognises the vigorous leadership of Dr. Dantsoho and the successful implementation of smart initiatives that align with NPA’s vision to become the Maritime Logistics Hub for Sustainable Port Services in Africa.”
Dr. Dantsoho credited the unwavering support of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, as a major factor behind the Authority’s accomplishments.
He emphasized that this backing had been vital in driving the recent successes.
Among the standout achievements cited were sustained improvements in port operations, which directly supported Nigeria’s impressive trade surpluses.
As Dr. Dantsoho pointed out, these included “Sustained port efficiencies contributing to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus of ₦7.5 trillion and ₦6.7 trillion in Q2 and Q3 2025 (per NBS and NESG reports), driven mainly by exports via NPA platforms.”
Further highlights encompassed the effective rollout of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for selling crude oil and petroleum products in naira.
This policy, according to Dantsoho, helped “saving billions in FOREX, enhancing energy security, improving trade balance, and creating jobs.”
The NPA also advanced international collaboration by finalizing Nigeria’s entry into the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), setting the stage for the National Single Window (NSW) initiative.
Dr. Dantsoho noted additional progress, such as “Technical guidance enabling a significant rise in transhipment cargo at Lekki Deep Seaport, serving landlocked neighbours and recovering cargo lost to competing ports.”
In a historic move, a Nigerian entity secured the presidency of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA) for the first time since its founding in 1972, with Dr. Dantsoho himself leading the Pan African Ports Conference (PAPC).
This, he said, elevated Nigeria’s influence and facilitated its return to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Category C.
Looking ahead, Dr. Dantsoho affirmed that these accomplishments position the NPA to execute ambitious plans in 2025 and beyond.
These include the $1 billion redevelopment of the Tincan Island Port Complex, upgrades to other major ports, construction of additional deep seaports, and adoption of environmentally sustainable practices.
The management of Champions newspaper explained that the award acknowledged the NPA’s essential function as a premier facilitator of trade, harnessing Nigeria’s maritime advantages to promote nationwide economic advancement.
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