The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho has called on exporters and investors to use the Export Processing Terminal (EPTs) and other tailor-made simplified export platforms established by the authority to make international trade easy and stress-free.
The NPA boss said this during the ‘Special Day’ of the Nigerian Ports Authority at the ongoing Kaduna International Trade Fair.
Dantsoho assured every stakeholder that the doors of NPA are always open for partnerships even beyond the trade fair.
“I therefore want to warmly invite you to interact with our business development team at the NPA pavilion and to also visit our fully interactive online real time website www.nigerianports.gov.ng to access our growth offerings,” he said.
Dantsoho disclosed that the Authority in its bid to contribute to the strengthening of the domestic economy through the promotion of Balance of Trade, established the EPTs to simplify the hitherto, burdensome process of exporting Nigerian goods.
He said: “The EPTs were conceptualized to serve as a one-stop-shop for cargo consolidation, stuffing, documentation, packaging, certification and onward shipment through electronic call-up to the Ports in quick turnaround time thus eliminating the duplications and bureaucratic overlaps that previously rendered Nigerian exports uncompetitive in the international marketplace.
“To facilitate Port-Hinterland connectivity and create pathways for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to play in the export value chain, the EPTs are to be linked with Domestic Export Warehouses (DEWs) in synergy with the NEPC and relevant partners.”
According to him, the EPTs was established to align with the ease of doing business orientation of the Federal Government and the theme of this year’s Kaduna Trade Fair “Promoting Efficiency in Manufacturing, Agriculture and Trade through Digital Transformation”.
He further disclosed that the Authority is aggressively pursuing the full automation of all its processes and procedures through the Ports Community System (PCS) which lays the groundwork for the implementation of the National Single Window (NSW).
The NPA MD further explained that the NSW is the global best practice for delivering the greatest value with the greatest ease by connecting all stakeholders in the trade value chain for seamless interaction at the push of a button, saying “I have said all of these, to show that the Nigerian Ports Authority has put measures in place to link value creators in the remotest part of the hinterland with the farthest clusters of demand anywhere on the globe.
He commended the commend the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (KADCCIMA) for the resilience to sustain the culture of hospitality and business friendliness that has continued to attract people from all over the globe to be a part of the International Kaduna Trade fair for deepening economic prosperity.
He noted that the strategic positioning of Kaduna as a melting pot of population, trade and a major transportation hub as the gateway to the northern hinterland and by extension Nigeria’s landlocked neighbouring countries presents huge opportunities waiting to be harnessed.
This, according to him, is coupled with its rich agro-allied potentials which are very important to actualising Nigerian Ports Authority’s quest to connect local value producers in the non-oil value chain to identified international clusters of demand for their goods.
“As Nigeria’s foremost trade facilitation platform, the Nigerian Ports Authority is always proud to be associated with the noble cause that this fair represents, especially seeing that trade remains the most veritable tool for actualising most of our economic aspirations,” Dr Dantsoho said.
