By Gloria Ikibah
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, is expected to formally inaugurate the upcoming Board of Directors meeting of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA).
The three-day event, which is set to commence from 18 to 20 May 2026, will be hosted in Lagos by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), is expected to attract senior maritime officials and port administrators from across West and Central Africa for discussions on the direction of port development in the region. 
The theme of the conference is “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development”. The meeting will focus on the future of port operations, with attention on improving infrastructure, strengthening logistics systems, deepening regional cooperation, and ensuring that port activities deliver broader economic and social value to surrounding communities.
In the build-up to the conference, the Managing Director of the NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, who currently serves as President of PMAWCA, highlighted the importance of the forum in setting priorities for the sub-region’s maritime sector.
He indicated that the meeting would provide a platform for industry leaders and stakeholders to reinforce the role of ports as key drivers of international trade and economic growth.
According to Dantsoho, the ports remain gateways to prosperity, linking nations to international markets while serving as engines of economic integration and sustainable growth.
He said: “The meeting affords us all, as Chief Executives and stakeholders, the platform to reiterate the pivotal role that ports play in shaping the future of humanity.
“With ports serving as gateways of prosperity and linking nations to the international community, their demonstrated leadership in advancing sustainable development goals cannot be overemphasized,” he added.
The NPA Boss also highlighted the strong link between the health of the global economy and the performance of ports, as he noted that efficiency and resilience particularly across West and Central Africa remain crucial to sustaining trade flows.
He signalled that arrangements has been put in place to ensure a productive environment for discussions, with the aim of generating practical ideas and policy directions to deepen maritime cooperation and support regional growth.
Key areas on the agenda include port security, infrastructure expansion, trade connectivity, and approaches to preparing ports for future demands in a rapidly changing global landscape.
The gathering further underscores Nigeria’s increasing influence within the regional maritime space, building on the momentum from its hosting of the 43rd PMAWCA Annual Council and Managing Directors’ Roundtable in 2023.
Participants are also expected to review progress made by PMAWCA’s midterm committees, alongside wider conversations on strengthening collaboration among member port authorities.
