Oyetola to open strategic PMAWCA summit as Nigeria hosts West, Central African port chiefs
By Maureen Aguta
Nigeria will this week take centre stage in regional maritime diplomacy as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, declares open the Board of Directors meeting of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) in Lagos.
The high-level three-day meeting, scheduled for May 18 to 20 and hosted by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), is expected to bring together leading port administrators, maritime regulators, and industry stakeholders from across West and Central Africa to chart a new course for regional port development and maritime cooperation.
With the theme, “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development,” the gathering is expected to focus on strengthening port infrastructure, deepening regional trade connectivity, improving logistics resilience, and ensuring that port expansion delivers measurable socio-economic benefits to host communities.
The meeting comes at a critical time for African ports facing rising global trade uncertainties, supply chain disruptions, security concerns, and increasing pressure to modernise infrastructure in line with international standards.
Ahead of the summit, Managing Director of the NPA and current President of PMAWCA, Abubakar Dantsoho, described the gathering as a strategic platform for shaping the future of ports within the sub-region.
Dantsoho, who made history as the first Nigerian to serve as President of PMAWCA, said the meeting would provide an opportunity for maritime leaders to reinforce the strategic importance of ports as engines of economic growth, regional integration, and global trade facilitation.
“The meeting affords us all, as Chief Executives and stakeholders, the platform to reiterate the pivotal role that ports play in shaping the future of humanity,” he said.
According to him, ports remain critical gateways linking nations to international commerce and investment opportunities, while also serving as catalysts for sustainable economic development.
“With ports serving as gateways of prosperity and linking nations to the international community, their demonstrated leadership in advancing sustainable development goals cannot be overemphasized,” Dantsoho added.
He further stressed that the resilience, efficiency, and sustainability of ports across West and Central Africa would remain vital to the stability of regional and global supply chains.
Industry observers say the meeting underscores Nigeria’s growing influence within the African maritime sector, particularly following the country’s successful hosting of the 43rd PMAWCA Annual Council and Managing Directors’ Roundtable in 2023.
The Lagos meeting is also expected to feature extensive deliberations on port security, infrastructure financing, digital transformation, trade facilitation, and emerging strategies for building future-ready ports capable of withstanding evolving global economic and environmental challenges.
Participants are also expected to review PMAWCA’s midterm committee activities and explore broader frameworks for strengthening operational collaboration among member ports across the sub-region.
The summit is widely seen as another major step in Nigeria’s push to position itself as a leading maritime hub in Africa under the Federal Government’s renewed focus on the marine and blue economy sector.