By Gloria Ikibah
West and Central African countries are stepping up efforts to modernise their port infrastructure amid growing pressure to remain competitive in global shipping and trade.
President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), Abubakar Dantsoho, said the region can no longer rely on ageing port systems if it hopes to achieve meaningful economic expansion and accommodate the demands of modern maritime commerce. 
Dantsoho, who is also the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, noted that member states are increasingly embracing investment in deep sea ports, technology and modern logistics infrastructure as part of a broader push to strengthen trade capacity.
Speaking at the close of the PMAWCA conference in Lagos, he highlighted the central role ports play in economic development, stressing that sustainable growth is closely tied to efficient maritime infrastructure.
He also acknowledged recent policy direction from President Bola Tinubu and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which he said is helping to reposition Nigeria’s maritime sector and align it with evolving global standards.
“This is an industry that requires huge investment in infrastructure. You cannot make progress with obsolete facilities and still expect to receive newer and larger vessels.
“You cannot have a hotel built 50 years ago and expect modern customers to continue coming without refurbishment. It is the same thing with ports”, he said.
According to him, countries within the sub-region, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Benin Republic, are currently repositioning their port systems through upgrades and modernisation projects.
Dantsoho disclosed that while Nigeria is refurbishing Apapa and Tin Can Island ports as a medium-term solution, the country must ultimately develop more modern deep sea ports capable of handling future trade volumes.
He noted that the Lekki Deep Sea Port, with two berths, represents progress, but added that Africa must aim for larger and more sophisticated facilities comparable to global maritime hubs.
“In Singapore, they are building ports with hundreds of berths. Guinea is developing a $20 billion deep sea port project. These are the kinds of investments Africa must begin to pursue if we want to compete globally,” he said.
The PMAWCA President also highlighted the growing role of technology, automation, artificial intelligence and robotics in port operations, insisting that data-driven systems are now central to efficient maritime administration.
According to him, the Nigerian Ports Authority has achieved nearly 90 per cent automation in its operations, with electronic payment and cargo processing systems significantly improving efficiency.
He cited the electronic call-up system introduced at Apapa Port as one of the innovations that has drastically reduced traffic congestion around the port corridor.
“Today, you can go into Apapa and leave within minutes. Before now, people spent hours and sometimes slept on the bridge because of congestion,” he said.
Dantsoho further stated that Nigeria currently accounts for over 70 per cent of cargo traffic entering the West and Central African sub-region due to its large population, market size and strategic position in serving landlocked neighbouring countries such as Niger, Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso.
He explained that Nigeria’s huge consumer market, combined with its youthful population, gives the country enormous maritime and economic potential if supported with modern infrastructure.
“Our market extends beyond Nigeria because several landlocked countries depend on Nigerian ports. But to sustain that advantage, we must provide deeper waters, stronger quays and modern infrastructure that can accommodate bigger ships,” he added.
He also highlighted the growing importance of cooperation among African port authorities through the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa, noting that member nations are increasingly exchanging operational experiences, performance standards and best practices aimed at improving efficiency and strengthening competitiveness across the region.
He maintained that the pace of Africa’s economic growth in the coming years would largely depend on how effectively the maritime sector responds to changing global demands through modern infrastructure, technological advancement and stronger regional integration.
