The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has hosted maritime leaders and port administrators from across West and Central Africa for the Board of Directors meeting of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), at the Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Managing Director and President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, chaired the Board of Directors meeting to review developments in the West & Central African regions and the budget implementation.
The high-level three-day meeting, held from 18 to 20 May, 2026, brought together key stakeholders in the maritime sector, deliberated on the future of ports and regional maritime development. Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola formally declared the meeting open.
The themed of the meeting, “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development,” focused on strengthening port infrastructure, enhancing logistics resilience, deepening regional collaboration, and ensuring that port expansion delivers socio-economic benefits to host communities.
The Managing Director of the NPA and President of PMAWCA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, described the event as an important platform for charting the future of ports within the sub-region.
According to him, the meeting provides maritime leaders and stakeholders with an opportunity to reaffirm the strategic role ports play in facilitating international trade and driving economic development.
The Director General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, attended the prestigious Gala Reception which hosted the Board of Directors of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), under the leadership of its Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho.
The high-profile meeting brought together senior port administrators, international trade facilitators, diplomats, and key industry players from across member countries to celebrate shared milestones in maritime development, trade facilitation, and regional integration.
“As a critical stakeholder in Nigeria’s trade facilitation value chain, PEBEC’s participation underscores the strong connection between port efficiency and the ease of doing business.
“Through sustained collaboration, institutional reforms, and strategic partnerships, PEBEC remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen trade competitiveness, improve port operations, and drive sustainable economic growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda.” he said.
Speaking further, Dantsoho stated that ports remain vital gateways to prosperity by connecting nations to global markets, while also serving as engines of economic integration and sustainable growth.
He emphasised that the resilience and efficiency of ports, particularly within the West and Central African region, are critical to sustaining the global economy.
The NPA boss also assured participants of a conducive environment for productive deliberations capable of generating innovative ideas and policy directions aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and regional development.
The meeting feature discussions on port security, infrastructure development, trade connectivity, and emerging strategies for building future-ready ports amid evolving global economic and security challenges.
The event underscores Nigeria’s growing influence in the regional maritime sector,
following the successful hosting of the 43rd PMAWCA Annual Council and Managing Directors’ Roundtable in 2023.
The deliberation during the meeting includes, reviews of PMAWCA’s midterm committee activities and broader discussions on advancing collaboration among member ports across the region.
