NPA, Kaduna Inland Dry Port Operators Deepen Collaboration to Boost Hinterland Trade, Cargo Evacuation
NPA, Kaduna Inland Dry Port Operators Deepen Collaboration to Boost Hinterland Trade, Cargo Evacuation
By Success Okezie
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Inland Containers Nigeria Limited (ICNL), operators of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port, have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening operational collaboration aimed at enhancing hinterland trade connectivity and improving cargo evacuation across the country.
The renewed commitment was the highpoint of a strategic meeting at the NPA Corporate Headquarters in Lagos, where the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, received the executive management of ICNL led by its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Omotayo Dada.
The high-level engagement focused on deepening synergy between both organisations, addressing critical challenges in hinterland logistics and aligning operations with the Federal Government’s trade facilitation and economic growth agenda.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Dantsoho underscored the urgent need to upgrade infrastructure at Inland Dry Ports (IDPs) nationwide to accommodate the anticipated surge in cargo throughput driven by the ongoing modernisation of Nigeria’s seaports.
He noted that robust Public-Private Partnerships remain critical to improving port facilities, streamlining logistics processes and enhancing the ease of doing business in the maritime and trade ecosystem.
In a major operational disclosure, the NPA Managing Director announced plans to embark on a nationwide assessment tour of all Inland Dry Ports in the country. The tour, which will be led by the NPA management team, is aimed at conducting an on-the-spot evaluation of operational readiness, infrastructure capacity and service delivery standards.
The exercise, he said, will ensure that dry ports are well-positioned to efficiently handle high-volume freight transfers from coastal ports to the hinterland.
Dr. Dantsoho also highlighted the significant progress recorded by the Authority in its digital transformation drive, revealing that NPA operations are currently operating at nearly 90 per cent automation.
He therefore called for full alignment of ICNL’s terminal operations with NPA’s digital platforms, including the Eto electronic truck call-up system, the Port Community System (PCS) and integration into the National Single Window (NSW) platform.
According to him, end-to-end digital integration will enable real-time cargo tracking, eliminate documentation bottlenecks, reduce human interface and promote greater transparency and efficiency across both seaport and dry port operations.
In his response, Mr. Omotayo Dada reaffirmed ICNL’s strategic partnership with the NPA, describing the relationship as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s multimodal transport architecture, linking coastal ports with commercial hubs in Northern Nigeria.
As a pioneer in terminal management and dry port operations in the country, Mr. Dada emphasized the strategic importance of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port in bringing port services closer to shippers in Northern Nigeria and neighbouring landlocked countries, including Niger and Chad.
He reiterated ICNL’s commitment to driving efficiency in hinterland logistics and supporting national economic integration through effective dry port operations.
Both organisations pledged to intensify the deployment of technology, expand intermodal rail cargo evacuation, and strengthen dry port facilities to meet evolving trade demands.
The joint efforts, they noted, are in alignment with the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to improve port efficiency, decongest port access corridors, facilitate trade and support sustainable economic growth.
About The Author
