The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has urged traders, exporters and investors to leverage newly simplified export channels introduced to reposition Nigeria as a competitive global trading nation.

Speaking during the “NPA Special Day” at the Kaduna International Trade Fair 2026 in Kaduna, Dantsoho said the Authority has rolled out tailor-made processes aimed at dismantling long-standing bureaucratic bottlenecks that previously discouraged participation in the export value chain.

“Let me seize the occasion of this ‘NPA Special Day’ to invite the entire trading and investing public to explore the tailor-made simplified export processes and other vistas of opportunity present at the Nigerian Ports Authority,” he said.

He explained that the reforms were designed to boost non-oil exports, improve Nigeria’s balance of trade and integrate producers from the hinterland into global supply chains.

A key pillar of the reform, he noted, was the establishment of Export Process Terminals (EPTs), structured as one-stop hubs for cargo consolidation, stuffing, packaging, documentation, certification and electronic shipment scheduling.

“The Export Process Terminals were conceptualised to simplify what used to be a burdensome export process. Today, exporters can complete documentation, packaging and shipment coordination in a seamless and efficient manner,” Dantsoho stated.

According to him, the EPTs are electronically integrated with port operations through the call-up system to ensure faster cargo evacuation, reduced congestion and improved turnaround time.

To deepen port-hinterland connectivity, the NPA is also working in synergy with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and other partners to link the EPTs with Domestic Export Warehouses (DEWs), thereby creating structured pathways for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to participate more effectively in international trade.

“We are determined to link value creators in the remotest part of the hinterland with the farthest clusters of demand anywhere on the globe,” he declared.

Dantsoho emphasised that trade remains the most viable instrument for achieving Nigeria’s economic aspirations, particularly as the country intensifies efforts to diversify away from oil dependence.

He further highlighted ongoing efforts toward full automation of port operations through the implementation of the National Single Window (NSW), which he described as a global best practice in trade facilitation.

“The National Single Window will deliver the greatest value with the greatest ease by enabling stakeholders to interact at the push of a button,” he explained.

The initiative, he added, aligns with the Federal Government’s renewed export orientation and local content development agenda.

Describing Kaduna as a strategic commercial hub, Dantsoho said its geographic positioning as a gateway to the northern hinterland and neighbouring landlocked countries places it at the heart of Nigeria’s export expansion strategy.

“The strategic positioning of Kaduna as a melting pot of population, trade and transportation presents huge opportunities for linking local producers to international clusters of demand,” he said.

Reaffirming the Authority’s openness to collaboration, the NPA boss assured stakeholders of sustained partnerships beyond the trade fair.

“Our doors remain open for partnerships as we work together to strengthen Nigeria’s domestic economy through enhanced trade facilitation,” he added.

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