The Nigerian Ports Authority has said that out of 17 million tonnes of annual West Africa freight from Antwerp, Nigeria accounts for over six million tonnes.

It said that volume shows that Nigeria handles the largest part of the freight coming to the region.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Managing Director of NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this when he received the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Nigeria, Pieter  Leenknegt.

He expressed NPA’s readiness to deepen bilateral ties to increase the efficiency of the nation’s seaports and record growth in trade volumes between the two countries.

“The annual volume of West African freight in Antwerp amounts to almost 17 million tonnes, resulting in a market share of 31 per cent. Nigeria, with a volume of over six million tonnes, accounts for the largest part,” Dantsoho disclosed.

Dantsoho said the minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has given the agency the necessary backing to enhance Nigeria’s share in the trade statistics of West and Central Africa.

According to him, the port of Antwerp is known in Africa as the maritime center of Europe, owing to the numerous supply chain connections.

“The synergy between maritime, logistics, and industrial activities creates a unique platform. Out of all the ports in North-West Europe,  the Belgian Port of Antwerp has the highest number of direct services to West Africa,” the NPA added.

Dantsoho also reiterated the agency’s readiness to leverage the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, ‘s technical know-how to operationalize the Port Community System.

He argued that leveraging Antwerp port technical know-how would prepare the country for actualising the forthcoming National Single Window Project of the Bola Tinubu administration.

“This meeting is focused on leveraging the know-how of the  Antwerp Port Community in the area of Port operational efficiency to add fillip to the NPA’s effort at operationalizing the PCS as quickly as possible in readiness for the forthcoming National Single Window Project of the Bola Ahmedbu administration,” he stated.