Lagos, July 18, 2023 -The Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) generated N191.43 billion from its operations in the first half of the year 2023.
NPA also remitted N55.7 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federation in the same period.
The agency said it facilitated 1851 vessels with a combined Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of 57,870,083 during the period.
These were contained in its half-year 2023 performance report released by the NPA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mohammed Bello-Koko.
Speaking on the report, Bello-Koko said that given the existential economic headwinds both at the micro and macro levels, these operational statistics for the first six months were reassuring, adding that they catalyzed the commendable remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federal Government thus far.
According to him, the current growth trajectory of the authority is encouraging and gives confidence to project a revenue growth of over N500 billion.
“The smart policy thrust of the new administration which is already throwing up new vistas of growth further lends credence to the feasibility of our projections and gives fillip to our organizational initiatives.”
“The operationalisation of Lekki Deep Seaport, expected restoration of the service boat management contract, digitalisation and intensified tightening of collections mechanisms buoys our confidence at meeting and indeed exceeding the revenue projections.”
The Authority has completed operations on a total number of 1851 vessels for the 1st half of 2023 with a combined Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of 57,870,083. Cargo throughput for the period under review stood at 33,895,784 metric tonnes, whilst container traffic was 707,985 TEUs.
A key indicator of port efficiency, which is the average turn-around-time (TAT) of vessels, stood at 5.16 days.
“This is an improvement and we have put measures in place to surpass in the second half of 2023” says Mohammed Bello Koko.
“We are poised to transform our projections to actualities.
“The remaining half of the year 2023 will be focused on finalising financing arrangements for our port rehabilitation drive, conclusion of all digitalisations geared towards improvement of efficiency and collaboration with landlocked neighbouring countries like Niger and Chad with whom we have already opened discussions to patronize our ports as hubs for transshipment cargo.”
“As a management team, we remain unwavering in our resolve to continuously improving on service excellence, blocking avenues of income leakages, curbing waste and tightening collection mechanisms in a bid to surpass stakeholders’ expectations and support the national economy,” he said. (GBN)
