The Federal Government has declared Dala Inland Dry Port, Kano as port of origin for export of goods and final destination for products brought into the country through her seaports.
Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, while making the declaration in Kano disclosed that the dry port was granted approval by the Federal Executive Council as part of government’s reform program to promote efficient transportation, decongest the seaports and bring shipping and ports services closer to importers and exporters.
“In today’s new global economy, speed to the markets with finished goods, lower shipping costs are the main drivers more than ever before,” he said.
The minister said Kano qualifies to host the dry port because it is the commercial capital of northern Nigeria with huge agricultural trade and export volume is well documented.
“The state has a sizeable number of textile and agro-allied industries, assembly plants amongst others and several manufacturing industries. It is not only suited but most qualified,” he said.
Sambo called on shipping companies, maritime players, land-locked countries like Chad, Niger and other port users to take full advantage of the Dala IDP for import and export of their cargoes.
Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, represented by his Deputy, Nasiru Yusuf Gowuna, noted that the Dala inland dry port marks the process of harnessing the potentials that abound in the state, as Kano remains the largest non-oil and gas economy in the country with an estimated $12 billion market size driven by commerce, manufacturing and subsistence agriculture.
Chairman of the dry port, Abubakar Bawuro, said Niger, Chad and Cameroun have indicated the desire to use the facility, noting that it will further boost the trans-Saharan trade for which Kano was once a hub.
Bawuro said the narrow gauge from Lagos-Kano is fully connected to the facility and neighbouring countries importing through the seaports can complete the second leg from Kano to Niger or other parts via road.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.