Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has unveiled plans to initiate full automation and cargo tracking at Nigerian ports.
This development according to him is to promote ease of doing business across various ports in Nigeria.
Oyetola, who was speaking in Abuja when he received entrepreneur and sustainability expert, Professor Gunter Pauli, who is on a three-day visit to Nigeria, noted: “Again, we are going to be talking of automation of ports to make them more efficient. I would like to tell you that in another two years, it will all change. We are bringing in automation and cargo tracking as we are working on that for implementation.”
He expressed his optimism, stating that within the next two years, these changes would revolutionize port operations, enhancing efficiency and promoting a more business-friendly environment.
Minister Oyetola underscored the federal government’s commitment to fostering partnerships with stakeholders to harness the vast resources of the ocean sector for economic development, job creation, and ecosystem preservation.
He emphasized a strong preference for Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements, stating that the government aims to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and capitalize on the abundant ocean resources available in Nigeria.
Oyetola also assured potential investors of the security and stability of Nigeria’s waterways, highlighting that piracy incidents had been nonexistent for the past two years. This reassurance opens doors for investments and collaborative efforts in the evolving maritime landscape.