Ships are expanding, cargo loads are heavy, and global commerce is moving faster than ever. Yet, according to Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, the gateways to West and Central Africa are stuck in time, relying on infrastructure built for a bygone era.
Dantsoho laid bare these challenges during an exclusive chat with Persecondnews in Lagos.
Attending the Mid-Year Session of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa, he warned that the region’s maritime sector is critically struggling to match the high-speed realities of modern shipping.
Using Nigeria as a case study, the NPA boss said major ports such as Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Port Harcourt ports were constructed decades ago at a time when vessels were much smaller, cargo volumes were lower, and global maritime operations were far less demanding.
According to him, those ports were never designed to handle the scale and sophistication of today’s shipping industry.
“Today, we are talking about vessels that are 300 to 400 metres long and carrying up to 24,000 containers at once,”
“That requires stronger engineering structures, deeper channels, and modern infrastructure capable of supporting that kind of weight and traffic.”
Dantsoho explained that shallow channels remain a major operational challenge because larger vessels require deeper waters to berth safely without running aground.
He stressed that the inability of many African ports to accommodate larger vessels is directly affecting cargo capacity, turnaround efficiency, and overall competitiveness in the global maritime market.
Click HERE to watch the full video
Drawing a simple comparison, he likened the situation to trying to operate modern technology inside houses built for another generation.
“You cannot compare homes built 50 years ago with the kind of homes people build today. The same thing applies to ports,” he stated.
The NPA CEO said the region had spent years in what he described as “dormancy,” with little attention paid to upgrading critical maritime infrastructure due to political, administrative, and institutional setbacks.
That period of neglect left many ports across the sub-region outdated and struggling to meet modern trade realities, but he believes the tide is beginning to change.
Dantsoho disclosed that nearly $28 billion worth of port-related infrastructure projects are currently ongoing across West and Central Africa, describing the investments as signs that governments and industry players are finally beginning to confront the scale of the problem.
He also made a strong case for private sector participation, insisting that government funding alone would not be enough to transform the region’s maritime sector.
“The opportunities are huge, the potential is enormous, and this is why we need investors to come in,” hm
Referencing comments made during the PMAWCA meeting by Africa’s richest businessman, Aliko Dangote, Dantsoho noted that large-scale private investments could significantly accelerate port development across the region.
He pointed to the rapid rise of the Lekki Deep Sea Port as evidence of what modern infrastructure can achieve.
According to him, despite beginning operations only a few years ago, the port is already handling about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s container traffic because of its modern facilities and ability to receive larger vessels.
He warned that African ports must also urgently embrace automation, digitalisation, and technology-driven systems if they hope to remain competitive in an increasingly fast-moving global maritime economy.
“Technology and automation are no longer optional. That is the reality of modern port operations.”
Persecondnews recalls that the PMAWCA meeting in Lagos brought together maritime leaders, port authorities, and stakeholders from across West and Central Africa to discuss regional trade, infrastructure development, digital transformation, and the future of Africa’s maritime industry.
Author
Leave a comment