The Bauchi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industries, Mr. Mohammed Salis Gamawa said the state has already achieved 70 percent progress in the establishment of its Inland Dry Port.
Gamawa said this in Bauchi during a meeting with stakeholders from the North East on regional integration for shipping activities organised by Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC).
He said “This milestone reflects the commitment of the state Governor Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, to transform Bauchi into a major trade and logistics hub through strategic infrastructure development. “
He said the Inland Dry Port will enhance regional trade, reduce port congestion, lower logistics costs, and stimulate industrial activity across the North-East.
“We commend the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for its strong partnership and called for greater regional integration and urged other states to align with federal efforts for holistic development.
The Executive Secretary and CEO of the Council, Dr. Pius Ukeyima Akutah, explained that implementation of the proposed inland dry ports in the North East would attract import and export from neighbouring African countries around the region which would further boost the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Pius expressed satisfaction over the region’s input to exportation which he said is one of the present administration goals to boost the nation’s resources through blue-economy.
He said that he has heard so much about the development of inland dry ports in the region, and explained that Bauchi State has been working on the inland dry port over the years.
“If I’m not mistaken, the approval was given during President Obasanjo’s presidency, and then it has been there. “About 70% work done on the initial stages. We are gearing towards getting to the point where the implementation committee can be set up, and then we’ll begin to go into that phase.
“Borno State also is working towards developing an inland dry port. And the governor of the state graciously paid us a visit in our office in Lagos. One of about three governors that has ever visited the Council in Lagos.
“The development of an inland dry port, I see competition rising up. Gombe State also talked about inland dry ports. So, I see a competition swelling up here. Well, it’s not the first time.
“We also have three inland dry ports in the Northwest. We have in Kano, in Kaduna, and in Katsina. May be we are going to repeat that in the Northeast. Well, there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said.
Pius said that it is crucial to put critical infrastructure in place to attract import and export activities where countries like Niger, Cameroon and Chad can benefit via North East Nigeria.
He said the demand for inland dry ports in the North-East is coming at a time that Nigeria has signed into AfCFTA.
“By joining that, automatically, we have joined a full package of 1.3 billion people. Our major advantage has been the most populous black nation on Earth. Shippers from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe expressed their challenges and urged the Council to proffer solution to encourage shipping businesses across the region.
The Executive Secretary called on stakeholders in the North-East region to embrace the development and utilization of Inland Dry Ports (IDPs) to boost trade.
Pius said that the strategic importance of IDPs in decongesting the nation’s seaports and boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness on the global stage.He said IDPs would improve trade facilitation, enhance logistics efficiency, and ease the conduct of international trade.
He said that “The establishment of IDPs across Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe will not only enhance logistics networks but also support job creation and make international trade more accessible to shippers in the region.”
He commended the Bauchi and Borno states for their significant commitment to the IDP projects and urged other states in the North-East to follow suit.
The Executive Secretary said that the Council remains committed to supporting the dry port initiative as part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Pius said that it plays a key role in promoting fair trade practices, ensuring efficient port services, monitoring compliance with regulations, and mediating in trade-related disputes all of which are crucial to achieving a seamless trade environment.
In his remarks, Mr. Nanbol Nanle, Acting Zonal Director of NSC in the North-East, encouraged stakeholders to engage with the Zonal office for information and support. He said that regular seminars and meetings would be hosted to strengthen stakeholder engagement.
