The Chief Executive Officer of Lagos Free Zone, Ashish Khemka, has said that the potential of the maritime sector in Nigeria remains largely untapped.
A statement quoted Khemka to have said this recently during a panel session held at the maiden edition of the Nigerian Seaport Investment Forum in Lagos themed, ‘Repositioning Nigeria’s seaport for investment and trade attractiveness.’
He also called on businesses, corporate organisations, and captains of industries to consider the construction of the port as a pathway towards industrialisation.
Khemka noted that there was a need for stakeholders, including the government, to provide necessary infrastructure and reduce bottlenecks that could affect the efficiency of the port.
According to him, the commencement of business operations at Lekki Deep Sea Port by the end of the year would certainly serve as a gateway for economic prosperity for Nigeria and other neighbouring countries in West Africa.
“The potential of the maritime sector in Nigeria remains largely untapped. The port and industrialisation go hand-in-hand. You can’t have one without the other. If you have a port but don’t have any industry where you can process the raw materials, there will be no use for the port, and vice versa,” he said.
In his keynote address, the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko, who was represented at the event by the Assistant General, Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr. Ayo Durowaiye, emphasised the need for stakeholders to harvest ideas from the forum to improve the ports and tackle the challenges.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Welcome2Africa, Bamidele Seun Owoola, explained that the forum was intended for relevant stakeholders to rub minds in order to proffer solutions to the myriad of issues plaguing the sector. He added that it would also help to facilitate good business relationships.
In his remarks, the Associate Director of Zenith Carex International, Omolayo Rhoda, who represented the Managing Director of Zenith Carex International, Dr.Adelana Olamilekan, stated that there was a need for the government to liberalise the sector by empowering more Nigerians to own vessels so as to reduce overreliance on international organisations.
The forum, which included maritime stakeholders from the private and public sectors, was organised to discuss challenges affecting the industry with a view to finding lasting solutions that would help improve trade and attract investments in the sector.
