NPA’s Dantsoho: The man meets the moment

By Victoria Ayuwei

His hobbies – reading, traveling and jogging – hardly give much away about the persona of the unassuming Taraba State-born, astute, seasoned marine technologist, now given presidential authorisation to lead the nation’s premier maritime agency, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA.

Meet Abubakar Dantsoho, PhD, highly analytical, data-driven, focused and versatile team-player, with over 25 years professional experience in maritime technology, international transport and port management. Even conservative maritime sector gurus are thumbing up President Bola Tinubu’s nifty pick for the NPA leadership. And not without good reason.

It is common knowledge that by providing access to global supply chains, an adequate and efficient maritime sector enables countries to access international trade markets, which should in theory boost economic development. In effect, it is a vital component of the global transportation network.

It is responsible for almost 90% of the global trade by volume adding over $380 billion every year via freight rates alone to the world economy. The industry acts as bedrock as it brings together multiple parties in the international supply chain. The maritime sector is capital intensive and thus requires huge amount of funding.

With eyes on a trillion-dollar economy which he has boldly envisioned, tweaking the leadership of such a critical and strategic sector like the maritime industry by President Tinubu is a given.

Entering, perhaps the largest stage of his career thus far, powered by an unrelenting will to succeed and a providential presidential fiat fittingly speak to the fact that dreams partnered stern preparation creates a defining reality for those that dare. This is the story of Abubakar Dantsoho, the mint-new Managing Director/CEO of the Nigerian Ports Authority. As it were, for NPA’s Dantsoho, the man unquestionably meets the moment.

Many top-notch industry stakeholders who know that the history, growth and progress of nations are closely interwoven with the degree of development of their maritime industry expect Dantsoho to move swiftly to improve the running the nation’s premier maritime agency, reposition and infuse it with the essential enablers that determine the prospects of ports to garner market share and face the future with confidence.

This is imperative given the existential economic headwinds both at the micro and macro levels buffeting the nation – added to global disruptions that contain both dangers and significant opportunities for national transformation.

It is also worth noting that maritime trade has played a key role in Nigeria’s economic development. The maritime sector accounts for about 95% of the vehicular means of Nigeria’s international trade. The maritime industry is a key sector of the nation’s economy putting into consideration the country’s status as a major oil exporting country.

To many, it is heartening that Dantsoho brings critical skill sets to his new responsibility at the NPA. He certainly needs them because they will help him to position Nigeria to optimize the comparative advantages that the nation’s maritime endowments as a littoral nation confers.

Afterall, it’s a given that powerful visions attract ideas, people and other relevant resources. They create the momentum and will to actualize changes.

They inspire individuals, complementary organizations and institutions to commit, to persist and to give their best. These are the strong points of Dantsoho and critical stakeholders expect him to leverage them and also enlist his impeccable professionalism, discipline and persistence to change the traditional narrative of the maritime sector in Nigeria and on the continent.

Dantsoho impatiently rejects staying tamely at the end of received policy prescriptions. He covets knowledge-driven innovations, proactive engagement with stakeholders, policy makers and surefooted action. These dimensions have been boldly mirrored in much of his career trajectory. He is defined by his sheer kinetic energy and revels in pushing new frontiers.

Tracking back, Dantsoho holds a Ph.D. in Maritime Technology from Liverpool John Moores University, UK (2015), an MSc in International Transport from Cardiff University, UK (1999), and a BSc (Hons) from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria (1992). He started his stint at the NPA in 1993.

With over 25 years in Maritime Technology, International Transport, and Port Management, Dantsoho is known for his analytical, data-driven approach and versatility as a team player.

He is a member of numerous professional bodies including the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, the Chartered Institute of Transport, the Institute of Logistics and Transport of Nigeria, the Nigerian Institute of Shipping, the Nigerian Institute of Management, and the Nautical Institute, UK. He is also a member of the Ikoyi Club 1938.

Dantsoho received the NPA 25-year long service merit award in 2019 and a letter of commendation for successfully berthing the EGINA FPSO Ship in Nigerian territorial waters in 2018.

He has been involved in significant consultancy studies including a 25-year Ports Development Masterplan by Crown Agent, UK, and World Bank projects on port concession assessment and private sector participation in Lagos’ integrated transport system.

To surpass NPA’s current revenue performance, Dantsoho and his team must look beyond a sole dependence on revenue from core port operations and must put modalities in place to create jobs and add value to the national economy from alternative sources of revenue.

Some examples worth considering are revenue through Public Private Partnerships; Ports Independent Power Production, Bunkering Stations, Fallow Lands for Logistics/Real Estate, Fresh Water Provision, Ship Repairs and Maintenance, and Tourism and Hospitality.

Viewed within the context of current global economic upheavals which have affected trade volumes in all climes, Nigeria’s current growth trajectory urgently needs fundamental tweaking with the leadership change at the NPA as a pointer to just how seriously the President takes his job.

Clearly, strengthening the effective operations of the nation’s maritime agency is certainly not a stroll in the park. Undeniably, modern ports sustainability is dependent on quality infrastructure, equipment and more. But as the leadership of NPA is now being guided by a patriot who believes in Nigeria; who has the capacity and unflinching faith in the ingenuity of Nigerians and who holds dear, the promise of the nation’s shared future – tomorrow is indeed bright.

The new, unassuming NPA boss, Abubakar Dantsoho certainly deserves the genuine support of all stakeholders as he settles in to instigate even more fundamental and transformational changes ahead.

Ayuwei, a public commentator, writes from Apapa, Lagos