Oyetola receives owners, operators of Port of Dubai

• welcomes investments into Nigerian Port system

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, at the weekend received the DP World, owners and operators of the Port of Dubai, expressing readiness to cooperate and welcome investments for the development and management of infrastructure into Nigeria’s port system.

He stated that the government is open to investments in the sector and assured that the Ministry will provide the needed impetus for interested parties for such ventures.

According to a statement by Anastasia Ogbonna, the Director, Information & PR, the Minister welcomed the proposal by the Port of Dubai to establish an industrial park to complement the ports and provide a logistics base for processing for exports.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE : How inland dry ports are supporting trade in Nigeria — Oyetola

“We have an extensive coastline and abundance of lands suitable for the development of industrial parks”, urging the delegation to bring forth a formal proposal of interest for consideration by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

He further noted that the Federal Government is keen on deepening the private sector operation in the ports, assuring that the rate of returns on such investments is guaranteed.

The statement, the minister noted that apart from the ongoing modernisation plan to increase the draught level of the nation’s ports to a range of between 16-16.5 meters, the government is working to digitise and automate all port processes to reduce human and physical interface to the barest minimum.

“These initiatives include but are not limited to implementing the Cargo Tracking System, the Port Community System, and the National Single Window, all geared towards increasing efficiency and reducing turn-around time at the ports,” he said.

In his 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 a registered presence in most African countries.

He further informed that DP World runs one of the most efficient port systems in the world and hopes to deploy its expertise and experience in Nigerian port systems if given the opportunity.