In a concerted effort to diversify and broaden the economic base of Nigeria beyond oil exports, the Federal Government has commissioned the Funtua Inland Dry Port in Katsina State heralding it as a Sub-Saharan hub for agricultural commodities and solid minerals.
President Bola Tinubu, presiding over the commissioning of the project coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in conjunction with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, expressed confidence in the significant benefits the Inland Dry Port project will offer to importers and exporters across Nigeria.
The President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, emphasised that establishing inland dry ports in the country will create jobs for youth, ease seaport congestion, generate revenue for the federal government, and provide closer shipping and port services for importers and exporters in the hinterlands.
According to the President, “the concept of Inland Dry Ports has gained prominence globally, particularly with the container revolution and exporters located within inland cities as well as neighbouring hinterland countries such as: Niger, Chad, Northern Cameroon and Central Africa.”
The President, reiterating the Administration’s dedication to prioritising the completion and use of additional dry port projects nationwide as critical infrastructure for seamless operations, highlighted the commissioning of the Funtua Inland Dry Port as the third completed among six across the country’s geopolitical zones. Integral to promoting export businesses and achieving trade balance, these ports reduce costs and enhance the ease of doing business.
The President urged national and international maritime stakeholders, shippers, shipping companies, landlocked countries, and port users to fully utilize the Inland Dry Ports for imports and exports.
He urged the general public, host communities, and the state to recognize the Funtua Inland Dry Port as a national asset and ensure its protection. Addressing the Nigerian Customs Service and all other port users, the President stated:
“Please act diligently in ensuring the efficient functioning of these facilities, free from unnecessary bureaucracy and delays, without compromising national interest and security.”
Also addressing the gathering, the Hon. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Oyetola Adegboyega, highlighted that the Inland Dry Port initiative is integral to the Federal Government’s Ports Reform Program, designed to be established at selected locations nationwide.
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The minister explained that the six Inland Dry Ports approved by the Federal Executive Council in March 2006 were intended to be concessioned to private sector operators under a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model, with the strategic framework of Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer to the government.
“The Funtua Inland Dry Port project in Katsina State was among the six Inland Dry Ports approved and was concessioned to Messrs Equatorial Marine Oil & Gas Limited. It was inherited at 80 percent completion stage. This prompted me to announce in November last year that it would be ready for commissioning in the first quarter of this year,” Oyetola said.
The Minister outlined additional steps to ease port congestion and improve operations, including a rehabilitation and modernisation program valued at approximately One billion dollars. Collaboration with the Ministries of Transportation and Works aims to enhance port efficiency, focusing on intra-modal links and access road improvements. These efforts are aimed at streamlining business operations within the ports. Oyetola highlighted Funtua’s selection for the Inland Dry Port due to its prominence in agricultural and industrial sectors, including being a major producer of cotton, sorghum, sugarcane, and various cereals.
This positioning makes it ideal for hosting an Inland Dry Port. The port is expected to boost Nigeria’s economic potential and enhance trade, particularly with landlocked countries like Niger and Chad Republic.
“We will provide importers and exporters located within the hinterland access to shipping and Port services without physically being at the seaports. This, will further promote the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and economic integration as well as support the Presidential Business Enabling Environment Council (PEBEC) initiatives,” the Minister said.
Furthermore, Oyetola mentioned that the Funtua Inland Dry Port will function as a Customs port in line with the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, meeting all requirements of an international port.
The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umar Radda, emphasised the state’s role in facilitating the project, providing seventy hectares of land. He highlighted the port’s completion as a significant contributor to both state and national development.
