The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) are set to jointly host an all inclusive, stakeholders grand exhibition tagged 2nd NIMPORT 2017 in August, in Lagos, with special emphasis on ease of doing business, transparency and best global practices.
NIMPORT Conference and Expo is a Nigerian brand platform, set to bring all port terminals, logistics, free trade zone and ancillary operations under one roof to network on developmental matters and attract investments, within and beyond Nigeria.
The MARITIME FIRST gathered that while the Shippers Council may focus on bureaucracy and organization, the Port Authority as co-host, would work at showcasing the nation’s Ports and it’s operators, for the first time, in all their capacities and value proposition to the world. The aim is to encourage healthy competition for best practices, as well as to inform the International community that the country has jettisoned the old ways of doing things.
“It will no longer be the old ways of hiding the Nigerian ports behind headquarter, as if everything is located in one place. Nigeria is too big for that. Our regional ports can compete favourably with other West Africa ports if they come out from the closet and that is what the management of NPA is currently trying to achieve”, the General Manager, Public Affairs, Efiong indicated, noting that the world 3rd biggest port equipment manufacturer in China, SANY has already keyed in to this plan and is using the opportunity to access the market size of the Nigeria ports.
Already, the Nigeria Shipper’s Council has approved of the diamond participation category at NIMPORT 2017 and the usual Shipper’s Networking Dinner at NIMPORT in August, as the commercial regulator and will host the NIMPORT stakeholder’s lunch meeting on the 26th, of May 2017 at the Shippers’ Plaza Apapa Lagos. The NPA held the first breakfast meeting on the 24th of February 2017, during which 32 companies agreed that it be hosted by the Sea, particularly in Lagos, conceptualized on international status.
Honourable Minster of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi C. Amaechi, and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas
at the Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA) annual conference in Abuja recently
The return of the event to Lagos after 8 years is to showcase the port city advantage, emphasizing a fact that the presence of the sea port and the logistics centers can accelerate economy, and development, hence the theme: ‘Improving Connectivity, Enhancing Trade’.
The pre-Nimport meeting is to create understanding for a national, unified development promotion and investment marketing for the maritime transport, ports and logistics corridors.
In the meantime, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barrister Hassan Bello has also assured that the May 2017 session of the committee meeting will further unveil industry position to the stakeholders on investment attraction and shipping promotion.
NIMPORT is a multisector gathering under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Transportation and it’s agencies to promote development and open up the corridors of transport for investment.
