Felix Kumuyi
Port Development: DP World Visits FMMBE, As Oyetola Promises Corporation for Investment
The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, with Chairman, Dubai Port, Sultan Ahmed Bin-Sulayem
With the continued reinvigorated efforts of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy (FMMBE) under Oyetola’s watch to expand investment opportunities at the Nigerian Ports, the ministry has continued to key into several vibrant opportunities to make the Nigerian Ports a hub in the African sub-region.
Latest in this efforts was at the weekend according to a press statement signed by Anastasia Ogbonna, Director, Information & PR, when the ministry played host to the DP World, owners and operators of the Port of Dubai, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, while receiving the DP World delegation, assured of the readiness of his led ministry to cooperate and welcome investments for the development and management of infrastructure in the Nigeria’s port system.
Oyetola, further affirmed that Nigerian Government is open to investments in the maritime sector and assured that the Ministry will provide the needed impetus to interested parties for such ventures.
The Minister welcomed the proposal by the Port of Dubai to establish industrial park to complement the ports and provide a logistics base for processing for exports, said that, “We have an extensive coastline and abundance of lands suitable for the development of industrial parks”.
He however urged the delegation to bring forth a formal proposal for the interest for consideration by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Furthermore, he noted that the Federal Government is keen on deepening the private sector in the ports, as he is confident of the viability of port operations in Nigeria, assuring that the rate of returns on such investments is guaranteed.
Also, the Minister explained that apart from ongoing modernization plan to increase the draught level of the nation’s ports to a range of between 16-16.5 meters, to regain Nigeria’s status as a transshipment hub, government is working to digitize and automate all port processes to reduce human and physical interface to the barest minimum.
He pointed that these initiatives include but are not limited to; implementing the Cargo Tracking System, the Port Community System, and the National Single Window, and as they are geared towards increasing efficiency and reducing turn-around- time at the ports.
In the delegation earlier remarks, the leader of the delegation, Sultan Ahmed Bin-Sulayem, disclosed that the company operates in 48 countries and has over 90 terminals around the world with registered presence in most African countries.
Sultan Ahmed further informed the meeting that DP World runs one of the most efficient port systems in the world and hope to deploy their expertise and experience in Nigerian port systems if given the opportunity.
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