By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has called on African port leaders to strengthen cooperation or risk being sidelined in global trade.
Dantsoho made the call in Kobe City, Japan, on October 8, shortly after his inauguration as Vice President (Africa) of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) during the World Ports Conference themed “Reinvention and Prosperity in Turbulent Times.”
He unveiled a roadmap anchored on automation, sustainability, and regional alignment, warning that fragmented policies and outdated systems continue to weaken Africa’s competitiveness in maritime logistics.
“This responsibility has fired up my resolve to champion national and regional policies that institutionalise environmentally friendly and technology-driven port practices,” Dantsoho said. “If African ports fail to act together, we risk being irrelevant in global trade.”
As President of the Pan-African Association for Port Cooperation (PAPC), he said his leadership would drive automation across African ports and align port policies to attract sustainable investments and boost efficiency.
Analysts say Dantsoho’s elevation strengthens Africa’s voice in global maritime policy and could help position the continent’s ports as competitive trade gateways under the International Association of Ports and Harbours’ sustainability framework.
