Oyetola advocates on public private partnership to develop more deep-sea ports
The Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has dwelt on the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) to develop more deep-sea ports in the country.
Oyetola harped on this at the 2024 Bussinessday Maritime Conference held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos, adding that PPP has helped in advancing port modernization, dredging activities, and the deployment of cutting-edge maritime technology.
The minister highlighted that there are more plans to advance the sector into the top ranks of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
He pointed out that under his leadership, the Ministry has prioritised strategic reforms to boost operational efficiency and attract investments which include the implementation of the National Single Window initiative and a port community system to automate port processes.
According to the minister, the measures were geared towards improving Nigeria’s ease of doing business ranking and fostering a conducive environment for trade and investment.
Speaking on the Ministry’s achievements, Oyetola declared that there has been significant progress in revenue generation driven by innovative strategies to block revenue leakages and explore new sources within the Marine and Blue Economy sector.
He stressed on the ongoing efforts to upgrade infrastructure through the development of inland dry ports and modernization projects at key ports across the country.
Oyetola commended BusinessDay Media Limited for hosting the conference, which he said has “served as a pivotal platform for stakeholders to deliberate on critical issues affecting the maritime industry, including policy formulation, infrastructure development, and sustainable resource management”.
The Minister underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in achieving excellence within the sector and expressed his confidence that the insights gained from the conference would drive positive transformations as well as Nigeria towards greater economic prosperity through the harnessing of its vast maritime resources.
Oyetola reiterated his commitment to developing a national policy framework for the Marine and Blue Economy by the end of 2024 and encouraged all stakeholders to continue working together towards realising the sector’s full potential.
