Minister of Transport, Mu’azu Sambo flanked on his immediate right the Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers Council, Hon. Emmanuel Jime and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajjani and on his left by a stakeholder during the unvelling of the Funtua Inland Dry Port in Katsina State.

Minister of Transport Mu’azu Sambo, has said that the decision of the Federal Government to designate the Funtua Inland Dry Port IDP as a Port of Origin and final Destination for import and export of cargoes was due to status of Katsina State as agricultural hub in the country for Trans-Saharan trade.

This implies that the Inland Dry Port is empowered to operate shipping businesses including clearing and forwarding of cargoes directly from anywhere in the world. This development, which also gives it same status with Apapa Port and Tin Can Island Port both in Lagos, allows an importer in China for instance to stem his container for the Funtua IDP. It also means that an exporter in Funtua can stem his consignment to any seaport in the United States of America for instance or any other international seaport in the world.

Speaking on the new status of the IDP, Minister of Transport, Mu’azu Sambo, said that in designating the port on behalf of the Federal Government, he relied on the powers conferred on him as Minister of Transport by section 30 of the Nigerian Ports Authority Act, Cap. N126 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

He also disclosed that the Funtua IDP would be a Customs Port in accordance with the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act, CEMA, Cap. C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and would have all the prerequisites of an international seaport.

“The importance of Katsina State as the commercial domain in the Trans-Saharan trade route with huge agricultural produce and trade in local and export volumes for landlocked countries and port users should take full advantage of the port for import and export of their cargoes”, the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, while speaking at the unveiling ceremony, said that the designation of the State for an Inland Dry Port.  

She said national and international maritime practitioners, shippers, shipping companies, landlocked countries should take the full advantage of the designation of Funtua Inland Dry Port as port of origin and final destination, which is another milestone achievement for the intermodal transport system in the country.

According to her: “The Funtua Inland Dry Port will further help to unlock the economic potential of Nigeria and facilitate trade with the land-locked countries like Niger and Chad Republic. The Port will provide importers and exporters located within the nation’s hinterland access to shipping and port services without physically being at the seaports.”

She listed other benefits of the Funtua Inland Dry Port to include the fact that it will promote the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement AfCFTA and economic integration as well as further support the Presidential Business Enabling Environment Council PEBEC.

The Governor of Kastina State, Aminu Bello Masari, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Alhaji Musa Sule, in his presentation, noted that the State Government, as part of its contribution to the project, facilitated 16.2 hectares of land and also paid compensation to the land owners.

He said the Katsina State Government took the step based on the conviction that when fully operational, the port will create employment for the immediate community and its environs, support revenue base of the State and facilitate trade within and outside the country.

Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigeria Shippers’ Council, Hon. Emmanuel Jime, while speaking at the occasion, advised states that were allocated Inland Dry Ports, but were yet to develop them, to expedite action on the projects in order to bring shipping closer to importers and exporters in their states.

This new status of the IDP comes several years after its establishment. Recall that the Federal Executive Council FEC had in March 2006, approved the establishment of the Funtua Container Freight Station then, alongside other Inland Dry Ports across the country. The Funtua Container Freight Station was later converted to an Inland Dry Port and that this critical transport infrastructure is based on the strategic framework of Build, Own, Operate and Transfer BOOT.