Zulum Seeks NPA Partnership to Boost Borno Non-Oil Exports, Create Jobs

Zulum Seeks NPA Partnership to Boost Borno Non-Oil Exports, Create Jobs

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has intensified efforts to diversify the state’s economy by calling on the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to expand support for non-oil exports from the state in order to boost foreign exchange earnings and create employment opportunities for young people.

The governor made the appeal during a high-level meeting with the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority in Lagos on Tuesday, where discussions were centred on unlocking economic opportunities and strengthening value chains for local producers and exporters in Borno State.

Zulum explained that increasing non-oil exports would not only improve internally generated revenue but also open up broader opportunities for businesses, farmers and entrepreneurs across the state.

Since assuming office in 2019, the governor’s administration has consistently pursued policies aimed at diversifying Borno’s economy while creating a safer and more attractive environment for investors and private sector growth.

During the visit, Zulum was received by the managing director and chief executive officer of the NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, alongside executive director Engr Ibrahim Abba Umar.

The governor’s latest engagement comes months after a similar strategic visit to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), where he advocated the speedy completion of the Maiduguri Dry Inland Port project.

The proposed dry port is expected to serve as a major economic hub for Nigeria’s Northeast region by bringing port services closer to businesses operating far from the coastal states.

According to the governor, the project would generate thousands of jobs, increase commercial activities and significantly reduce transportation and logistics costs for traders and manufacturers in the region.

He also noted that the facility would help decongest major seaports in Apapa, Calabar and Warri by easing cargo movement from the southern corridor to the northeast.

In another major economic initiative, the Borno State Government is pushing ahead with plans to establish the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) center in Banki, a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon.

Zulum disclosed that the process of establishing the free trade zone is already at an advanced stage, describing it as part of a broader economic transformation agenda for the state.

“By simultaneously advancing the Dry Inland Port in Maiduguri and the Free Trade Zone in Banki, the state government is putting in place a coherent strategy to industrialise the state, create jobs, generate revenue and permanently shift the economy away from overdependence on federal allocations,” the governor stated.