Nigeria Targets Foreign Capital as NPA Showcases Port Reforms at World Ports Conference

Nigeria has intensified its drive to attract international investors into its maritime industry, with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) presenting the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms and investment policies at the World Ports Conference in London.

The initiative is aimed at drawing private sector capital into port infrastructure development, boosting operational efficiency and positioning Nigeria as a leading maritime investment destination in Africa.

At the conference, NPA Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, highlighted the maritime agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing confidence that the administration’s policies are creating favourable conditions for increased foreign investment in the sector.

According to Dantsoho, Nigeria’s expanding economy and the pace of development across its ports present substantial opportunities for investors seeking to participate in the country’s maritime transformation.

He pointed to the country’s enormous population, growing urban centres and infrastructure deficits in the port system as key investment drivers, particularly in port expansion, modernisation and related maritime services.

Dantsoho, who is also Vice-President of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) and Chairman of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), further encouraged international investors to explore Africa’s maritime market.

He described the continent’s untapped resources as a significant opportunity for port investment, arguing that governments cannot independently finance the construction and expansion of larger and deeper seaports.

The NPA chief stressed that private investors must play a critical role in closing infrastructure gaps and accelerating maritime development across Africa.

Emphasising Nigeria’s growing demand for port infrastructure, he stated:

“Nigeria has the highest population in Africa. So, the speed of growth is something that really should concern us. For example, in Nigeria, only recently, about 3 years ago, we commissioned the first deep sea port in Nigeria, which is called Lekki Deep Sea Port, that was funded by the Chinese government in relationship with China Harbor, and the expenditure cost us $1.6 billion to build Lekki in Lagos.”

The Lekki Deep Sea Port project, which involved an investment of $1.6 billion, was cited by Dantsoho as an example of the scale of financing required to develop modern port infrastructure and the importance of international partnerships in achieving such projects.

Through its participation at the London conference, the NPA is seeking to strengthen Nigeria’s visibility among global maritime stakeholders and attract the capital and technical partnerships needed to unlock the sector’s long-term potential.

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