Dala Inland Port to grow African trade, decongest seaports – Jime

Dala Inland Dry Port (IDP) in Kano will boost trade within African countries and help actualise the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Emmanuel Jime, the executive secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shipper’s Council (NSC), has said.

According to a statement by Rakiya Dhikru-Yagboyaju, head, Public Relations of NSC, Jime said this during inspection of the ongoing construction at the Dala Inland Dry Port site at Zawachiki in Kano State.

“The Dala Inland Port when completed, will decongest the seaports, reduce the cost of doing business and provide an avenue for shippers in the hinterland and neighboring countries like Niger, Chad, and Benin to have their cargoes transported to their doorsteps,” he said.

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Abubakar Sahabo Bawuro, chairman/CEO of the Dala Inland Dry Port, lauded the Kano State Government and Nigerian Shippers’ Council for their roles in bringing the Inland Port project to actualisation.

He further pleaded for the support of the Council to fast track the conferment of the dry port’s status as a Port of Origin and Port of Destination where cargoes can exported from and imported to.

He assured that construction at the Dala Port site will be completed by the end of November 2021, and full operation will commence.

The Port, he said, will attract volumes of economic activities to the state, boost the infrastructural development, increase the Kano State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and also increase employment opportunities.