Minister for Marine & Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola (Middle) Managing Director/CEO Nigerian Ports Authority Mohammed Bello Koko (2nd from left), Executive Director Lekki Deep Seaport Adesuwa Ladoja (2nd from right) and Chief Operating Officer Lekki Deep Seaport Laurence Smith during the maiden visit of the pioneer minister for Marine and Blue Economy to Lekki Deep Seaport.
In furtherance of the resolve to leverage the competitive advantages of Lekki Deep Seaport in attaining maritime hub status, the Managing Director Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Mohammed Bello Koko on Wednesday 6th September, 2023 accompanied the Honourable Minister for Marine & Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola on a tour of the facility which apart from being Nigeria’s first Deep Seaport is also the country’s first fully automated port.
Speaking during the visit, Mohammed Bello said
“Lekki Deep SeaPort’s distinctive features such as full Automation, Drive-through Scanners, Super Post-Panamax size Ship-to-Shore Cranes amongst others, positions it for quick cargo and vessel turn around which will greatly enhance the competitiveness of our exports especially agro-allied products in the international marketplace.
With enhanced competitiveness comes increased demand which ultimately grows FOREX inflow into the country”.
He added that “the NPA is glad to announce that Lekki is already processing transhippment cargo for which two of our landlocked neighbors have expressed interest and with our renewed partnership with the Nigerian Customs towards the domestication of the World Custom Organization’s guidelines on transhippment and other ease of doing business best practices, the numbers can only increase”.
Recall that the NPA had recently procured and deployed two first-of-its-kind in Africa Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) 80 Ton Bollard Pull Tugboats to equip Lekki Port to provide best-in-class marine services.
The Honourable Minister expressed his delight at the world class facilities on ground at the Lekki Port and pledge the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy’s commitment to ensure that the opportunities for national prosperity inherent in Lekki Deep Seaport are maximally utilized.
The visit to Lekki Port which is the second within a week by the new Minister of Marine & Blue Economy to NPA platforms, coming on the heels of the tour of Lagos and TinCan Island Port Complexes signposts the importance of the Nigerian Ports Authority in actualizing President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s vision for national prosperity.