Rail lines, highways to drive cargo delivery to landlocked nations – NPA

Abubakar Dantsoho, managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has advocated for the completion of international highways, rail routes linking landlocked and coastal states such as the Niger, Lagos, Tema and Abidjan.

To him, this will ensure efficient service provision to the landlocked states at reduced cost.

Dantsoho disclosed this during a presentation at the 44th annual council and 19th roundtable of Directors General of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) held in Conakry-Guinea.

He said that out of the 44 landlocked countries in the world, Africa accounts for 16 and it is a moral duty for coastal states to provide access to the sea for the landlocked countries.

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“The question thrown by emerging trends and the current roundtable is more like servicing the Hinterland without scrambling for the service and how to build shared capacity by coastal states to ensure service provision to the landlocked states efficiently and at a reduced cost.

“There should be sustained and sincere agenda to engage complete international highways and rail routes to ease cargo evacuation,” he explained.

He said African nations need to leverage the strength of each other to facilitate trade with landlocked countries and share ideas and information on advancements in technology that can enhance service delivery.

He said there is a need for technological connectivity between littoral states to expedite transit cargo transportation particularly where multiple transit by water is required within the sub-region.

“Establish multilateral agreements and trading partnerships with neighbouring coastal countries and other regional partners, infrastructure planning; coordinating investments in port infrastructure and transportation networks.

“The proposed Abidjan to Lagos highway by ECOWAS Heads of State which will link the most economically dynamic cities and ports and the most densely populated urban areas in West Africa is a welcome development,” he suggested.

Dantsoho said nations in the region need regulatory harmonisation to align policies and procedures and facilitate smooth cargo movement.

He said policy alignment is critical for transshipment cargo, and joint initiatives for security, safety, and environmental protection.

He said ports in the region, particularly the Shippers’ Councils must continue to work together to negotiate better rates with shipping lines, aligning vessel schedules to reduce congestion and increase efficiency

The NPA boss called for the exchange of best practices for terminal operations and capacity utilisation, collaborating on rail, road and inland waterway connections and emergency response planning.

According to him, there is a need for joint contingency planning for accidents or disruptions, engaging in diplomatic and cultural exchange programmes.

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“Benefits such as increased efficiency, improved competitiveness, enhanced customer satisfaction, reduced costs and better use of resources can be derived if achieved.

“The relationship between shipping and the hinterland is interdependent, which implies that surmounting the challenges associated with the fluidity of port operations requires a strong nexus between the maritime space and the hinterland as the two constitute the domain of global freight circulation,” he added.

Mamadou Biro Diallo, managing director of the Port Autonome de Conakry, said ports are key hubs for world trade and catalysts for growth.

“But for this growth to be truly beneficial, it must extend beyond the port interface into the hinterland. This is where connectivity and the fluidity of logistics value chains play a decisive role. Connectivity between the ports and the hinterland is based on a varied infrastructure network including roads, railways and waterways.

He said the Port Autonome de Conakry supports the development of countries by offering quality services.

He said it requires strong collaboration between public and private players, a commitment to sustainable investment in infrastructure and greater adoption of new technologies.