PMAWCA Board meets in Lagos as Marine & Blue Economy Minister outlines Nigeria’s plan to lead West, Central Africa Trade
PMAWCA Board Meets in Lagos as Marine & Blue Economy Minister Outlines Nigeria’s Plan to Lead West, Central Africa Trade
By Babatunde Aremu
Port authorities from across West and Central Africa gathered in Lagos on Monday as the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) opened its Mid-Year Board Session, with Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, declaring that the country is expanding port capacity to become the region’s leading trade and logistics hub.
The three-day meeting, themed _“Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development,”_ is holding in Victoria Island from 18–20 May 2026.
Declaring the session open, Oyetola said the Federal Government had approved the development of additional deep seaports to complement existing facilities, strengthen supply chain resilience, and boost Nigeria’s competitiveness globally.
“Approvals have therefore been granted for the development of additional deep seaports across the country to complement existing infrastructure, strengthen supply chain resilience, and reinforce Nigeria’s position as the preferred maritime and logistics hub for West and Central Africa,” he said.
The minister said the Tinubu administration is modernising ports through infrastructure upgrades, digital transformation, and improved operational efficiency. He noted that coordinated policy interventions and inter-agency collaboration had reduced logistics bottlenecks at major seaports, cutting cargo evacuation time and vessel waiting periods.
A key part of the reform agenda is the National Single Window initiative, which Oyetola described as a landmark reform to streamline cargo clearance through digital integration of government agencies and port operations. He added that existing ports will undergo channel deepening and other upgrades to accommodate larger vessels.
On maritime security, Oyetola credited the Deep Blue Project with eliminating piracy in Nigerian waters and reducing crimes across the Gulf of Guinea, saying the gains had restored investor confidence.
In his welcome address, PMAWCA President and Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, said the sub-region is witnessing a resurgence in port investment, with over $27 billion in projects underway or announced.
He cited the $20 billion Simandou-Morebaya Deep Sea Port in Guinea, the $2 billion Port San Pedro in Côte d’Ivoire, the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, and ongoing upgrades at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports. APM Terminals is also investing $600 million in Nigeria.
Dantsoho said ports must move beyond cargo handling to drive the blue economy, including renewable marine energy, aquaculture, sustainable fisheries, coastal tourism and marine biotechnology.
The session drew high-level attendees including Taraba State Governor Dr. Kefas Agbu; Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Oluwaseun Osiyemi, representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Dangote Group Chairman Alhaji Aliko Dangote; and Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination Hadiza Bala Usman.
PMAWCA coordinates port development and cooperation across 25 member countries in West and Central Africa.
