The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is set to tour all inland dry ports across the country to assess their readiness and capacity. The plan was announced by NPA Managing Director Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho during a meeting with Inland Containers Nigeria Limited (ICNL).

Dantsoho said NPA operations are now nearly 90 per cent automated, and urged ICNL to connect its systems to the Eto system, Port Community Systems and the National Single Window. He said this would allow real-time cargo tracking, cut bottlenecks and improve transparency.

He also called for upgraded dry port infrastructure and public-private partnerships to handle the cargo growth expected from seaport modernisation, improve logistics and lower business costs.

The talks covered operational coordination, hinterland trade connectivity, trade facilitation and moving cargo from seaports to inland ports.

ICNL Managing Director Omotayo Dada described the partnership as central to Nigeria’s multimodal network. He highlighted the role of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port in serving northern shippers and landlocked countries, including Niger and Chad.

Both sides committed to technology adoption, intermodal rail evacuation and stronger dry port facilities, in support of national goals of efficiency, reduced congestion and economic growth.