By Juliet Ezeh
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, will declare open the Board of Directors meeting of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA).
The three-day high-level event, scheduled for May 18–20, 2026, and hosted by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Lagos, is expected to attract leading maritime stakeholders and port administrators from across West and Central Africa to discuss the future of ports and regional maritime growth.
Held under the theme, “Ports of the Future: Combining Logistical Resilience with Inclusive Community Development,” the meeting will focus on strengthening port infrastructure, improving logistics resilience, deepening regional cooperation, and ensuring host communities benefit from port development.
Ahead of the gathering, Managing Director of the NPA and chief host, Abubakar Dantsoho — the first Nigerian to serve as President of PMAWCA — described the meeting as a strategic platform for charting a sustainable future for ports within the sub-region.
According to him, the event presents an opportunity for maritime leaders and stakeholders to reaffirm the critical role ports play in promoting international trade and economic growth.
“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.
Dantsoho emphasized that ports remain vital gateways to prosperity, connecting nations to global markets while driving economic integration and sustainable 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,” he added.
He further noted that the resilience and efficiency of ports, especially within West and Central Africa, are essential to sustaining the global economy.
The NPA boss assured participants of a conducive environment for productive discussions capable of generating ideas and policy directions that would strengthen maritime cooperation and regional development.
The meeting is expected to feature deliberations on port security, infrastructure expansion, trade connectivity, and strategies for developing future-ready ports amid changing global realities.
The event also underscores Nigeria’s growing influence in the regional maritime sector, following the successful hosting of the 43rd PMAWCA Annual Council and Managing Directors’ Roundtable in 2023.
Participants are also expected to review PMAWCA midterm committee activities and explore broader strategies for enhancing collaboration among member ports.
