The federal government has announced plans to enhance port facilities in order to protect shipping and increase operating efficiency in the country’s marine sector.
Gboyega Oyetola, speaking in Lagos recently at the 2024 World Maritime Day with the subject ‘Navigating the Future: Safety First’, emphasized that increased investment in the industry would help Nigeria expand capacity and ensure the country’s competitiveness in global seaborne trade.
Oyetola, who was represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Michael Oloruntola, urged stakeholders to reconsider the safety and security challenges that the maritime sector faces, particularly in light of new technologies and alternative fuels aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships.
According to the minister, the Federal Ministry of Marine & Blue Economy is taking proactive measures to enhance the maritime sector by embracing emerging technologies and fostering innovation to drive growth.
“Key among the initiatives of the ministry is digitalization and automation of port operations to enhance safety, security, and efficiency, as well as a performance optimization to reduce costs and increase reliability and the adoption of innovative practices to propel our industry towards sustainable development,” he said.
The former governor of Osun State stated that President Bola Tinubu was investing extensively in port renovation to minimize inefficiencies, lower operational costs, and increase port safety.
He explained that the port enhancements are being funded through public-private partnerships. Oyetola stated that the government had made tremendous headway in creating a favorable climate for port operations by aligning its policies with global best practices.
He claimed that this improved port safety, security, and efficiency, resulting in significant reductions in processing delays for exports and imports.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, said the authority was at conclusive stages of the deployment of the Port Community System. According to Dantsoho, the PCS will set the pace for the operationalisation of the National Single Window Project by the government.
The NPA boss, who was represented by the Executive Director of Engineering & Technical Services, Engineer Ibrahim Umar, remarked that the maritime sector was not just pivotal to national economic prosperity but to global economic sustainability.
“Realizing that automation is the linchpin of port efficiency. The Nigerian Ports Authority is at the conclusive stages of the deployment of the Port Community System, which sets the pace for the operationalisation of the National Single Window Project of the Federal Government.”
According to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Wasiu Sanni, safety is an imperative that requires national responses. He noted that the National Assembly was committed to policies that would drive safe operations in the nation’s maritime sector. He urged the agencies in the sector to ensure compliance with international safety conventions.
“Nigeria should let safety be the guiding principle that will position the country as a leading player in the global maritime community,” he added.
