NPA Unveils Simplified Export Processes, Positions Kano as Gateway to Nigeria’s Non-Oil Future
In a strategic push to accelerate Nigeria’s non-oil export expansion and deepen the nation’s integration into global value chains, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has showcased its reengineered export processes at the Kano International Trade Fair—a symbolic move that underscores Kano’s historic role as West Africa’s commercial heartbeat.
NPA Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, speaking through the General Manager, Corporate Communication and Strategy, Okechukwu Onyemekara, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to removing bottlenecks, digitising port operations, and strengthening linkages between Nigeria’s ports and inland production hubs.
For policymakers, investors, and exporters, the message was clear: Nigeria is rebuilding its competitiveness through efficient logistics, smarter regulation, and technology-driven processes across the maritime–hinterland corridor.
Kano: The Strategic Northern Trade Nerve Centre
Dantsoho celebrated the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA) for sustaining the fair’s global profile.
He noted that Kano’s long-standing role as a trade artery to Northern Nigeria and landlocked neighbours—including Niger, Chad, and parts of Cameroon—makes it a natural hub for non-oil export expansion.
The city’s rich agro-allied base, particularly in sesame, hibiscus, gum arabic, leather, grains and textiles, aligns perfectly with the NPA’s ambition to connect rural and urban producers directly to global markets.
Export Processing Terminals (EPTs): Nigeria’s New Game-Changer
A major highlight of the NPA’s reforms is the establishment of Export Processing Terminals (EPTs)—innovative one-stop hubs designed to eliminate the frustrating duplication, delays, and informal barriers exporters previously faced.
These terminals, developed in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and other agencies, now provide:
- Consolidation
- Documentation and certification
- Packaging and pre-shipment inspection
- Seamless transfer of export cargo to ports
This system has already begun reducing human interference, speeding up processing times, and improving the predictability of export logistics.
Full Automation: Ports Community System (PCS) and the National Single Window
Dantsoho reiterated the NPA’s determination to transition Nigeria to global best practice through the implementation of the Ports Community System (PCS)—a digital backbone that will ultimately integrate into the National Single Window (NSW).
This shift promises:
- End-to-end export transparency
- Reduced corruption opportunities
- Real-time cargo visibility
- Stronger interagency coordination
- Lower transaction costs for SMEs and large exporters
According to Dantsoho, the goal is simple: exporters in remote Nigerian communities should access global markets with minimal friction.
Driving SME Competitiveness in the Non-Oil Value Chain
In line with the fair’s theme, NPA emphasised its support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)—the largest contributors to Nigeria’s non-oil export volume.
“We are aggressively simplifying export procedures to ensure made-in-Nigeria goods move through our ports as smoothly as possible,” Dantsoho declared, urging traders to explore opportunities available through NPA’s digital platforms and business development channels.
He stressed that the Authority’s door remains open for partnerships and capacity-building initiatives beyond the fair.
A Maritime Vision Aligned With Nigeria’s Blue Economy Agenda
The NPA’s export reforms are consistent with Nigeria’s evolving Blue Economy strategy, which seeks to harness maritime assets, inland waterways, and port-centric logistics to stimulate jobs, increase foreign exchange earnings, and diversify the national economy.
Kano’s centrality in this strategy—despite being landlocked—reflects a global trend: modern port economies are only as strong as their inland logistics networks.
With improved port–hinterland connectivity, automation, and smart regulation, Nigeria is moving steadily toward becoming a competitive export nation.
