NPA, MAN Target $1bn Upgrade To Boost Manpower, Port Infrastructure

Cargo surge pushes trade surplus to N5.81trn.

The country is ramping up investments in port infrastructure and seafarer training as part of a strategic effort to reposition its maritime sector for global relevance and increased trade volumes.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, revealed comprehensive reforms targeted at strengthening manpower development and boosting port efficiency—two pillars seen as critical to unlocking the country’s blue economy.

Riding on an improved cargo throughput, which according to the NPA’s 2024 Consolidated Management Report, surged by 45.1 per cent, or 71.2 million metric tons in 2023 to 103.3 million in 2024, the investments, it is said, will further boost the renewed efficiency and increased trade activity. The surge in the throughput, the report indicated, helped push Nigeria to a trade surplus of N5.81 trillion ($3.7 billion) in Q3 2024, according to data from the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

While the NPA revealed it is driving the nation’s logistics transformation with a $1 billion reconstruction of the Tin Can Island Port Complex, alongside the rehabilitation of Apapa, Rivers, Onne, Warri, and Calabar ports, MAN, on its part said the institution is aligning its mandate with national economic objectives by producing skilled maritime professionals to meet both local and international demand.

Speaking at the 2025 Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) annual conference held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, at the weekend, the NPA’s Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, who was represented at the event by the Principal Manager, Corporate Affairs, Hadiza Usman Shu’aibu, said the Authority is also leading capacity expansion through the development of new ports—Snake Island, Badagry Deep Seaport, Ondo Deep Seaport, and Burutu Port—all at different stages of implementation.

“The NPA is actively upgrading infrastructure and accelerating digital transformation across Nigeria’s ports to improve cargo handling and attract investments,” he said.

He added that Nigeria has joined the International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA), paving the way for full implementation of the National Single Window (NSW), a platform designed to streamline port operations and reduce trade bottlenecks.

Dantsoho noted truck congestion at Lagos ports is also being tackled through enhancements to the electronic truck call-up system, which now features satellite parks and time-belt scheduling.

“These measures have significantly eased gridlock and improved turnaround time,” he said.

To boost revenue diversification, the NPA, he noted, is exploring public-private partnerships across non-core port services, including bunkering stations, logistics parks, ship repair yards, independent power generation, and freshwater supply.

Under Dantsoho, Shu’aibu further said, the country has also reclaimed regional leadership with his election as President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA)—the first Nigerian to lead the body since its creation in 1972. He is also spearheading the nation’s push for re-election into Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

On the manpower front, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, says it is aligning its mandate with national economic objectives by producing skilled maritime professionals to meet both local and international demand.

Speaking on behalf of the Acting Rector of MAN, Dr Kevin Okonna, the Academy’s Public Relations Officer, Domo Umoekpe, said: “Our vision is to be internationally recognised as a centre of excellence in maritime education and training. We are not just training cadets; we are shaping the professionals who will drive maritime growth across Africa.”

Okonna said the Academy has upgraded its training infrastructure with cutting-edge facilities, including four IMO-compliant simulators, a Free Fall Lifeboat with launching davit, engineering labs, survival pools, a marine exhibition hall, and an e-library.

In addition to local cadet training, MAN, he noted, now serves as a regional resource centre, offering instructor training under IMO Model Course 6.09 and hosting students from other institutions such as the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.

“The quality of our training has begun to attract foreign students. We’re also pursuing partnerships with IMarEST, the Nautical Institute UK, and CIOTA to secure sea-time placements and keep our cadets aligned with global best practices,” he added.

MAN, he further explained, runs three core schools—Engineering, Nautical Studies, and Maritime Transport Studies, as well as a Seafarers Training Centre offering STCW-compliant short courses and certificate programmes. Its simulator-based training covers 12 fully accredited courses aligned with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) standards.

Both NPA and MAN acknowledged the critical support of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, led by Minister Adegboyega Oyetola, in driving sector-wide reforms.