By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, is set to declare open the Board of Directors meeting of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa as the Nigerian Ports Authority hosts top maritime executives and port administrators from across West and Central Africa in Lagos.
The high-level three-day meeting, scheduled to hold from May 18 to May 20, 2026, is expected to bring together key stakeholders in the maritime industry to discuss the future of port operations and regional maritime development.
The meeting, themed “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development,” will focus on strengthening port infrastructure, improving logistics resilience, deepening regional cooperation, and ensuring that port development delivers meaningful socio-economic benefits to host communities.
Ahead of the event, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and President of Port Management Association of West and Central Africa, Abubakar Dantsoho, described the gathering as a strategic platform for charting a sustainable future for ports within the sub-region.
Dantsoho, who is the first Nigerian to serve as President of PMAWCA, noted that the meeting would provide maritime leaders and industry stakeholders the opportunity to reinforce the critical role of ports in global trade and economic growth.
According to him, ports remain vital gateways connecting nations to international markets while also driving economic integration, prosperity, and sustainable development.
“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 stated.
He further emphasized that the sustainability of the global economy is closely linked to the resilience, efficiency, and competitiveness of ports, particularly within the West and Central African region.
The NPA Managing Director also assured participants of a conducive environment for productive engagements capable of generating practical ideas and policy directions aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and regional economic development.
Key discussions during the meeting are expected to cover port security, infrastructure modernization, trade connectivity, and strategies for building future-ready ports capable of adapting to emerging global challenges.
The meeting is also expected to review PMAWCA’s midterm committee activities and explore broader initiatives for enhancing collaboration among member ports.
Nigeria’s hosting of the event further underscores the country’s growing influence within the regional maritime sector, following its successful hosting of the 43rd PMAWCA Annual Council and Managing Directors’ Roundtable in 2023.
