Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has urged the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to scale up non-oil exports from the state to boost foreign exchange earnings and employment among youths. Zulum made the call on Tuesday in Lagos during a visit to the NPA management, where he discussed various economic opportunities for Borno's local creators to add more value chains, including foreign exchange earnings.
Economic Diversification Efforts
The state government's administration, since 2019, has advocated for diversifying Borno's economy while also creating a safe and enabling environment for businesses and investments. The governor, who was received by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, alongside Executive Director, Engr. Ibrahim Abba Umar, had paid a similar high-level visit to the Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC) last year.
Maiduguri Dry Inland Port Project
At the NSC meeting, Zulum pushed for the fast-tracking of the Maiduguri Dry Inland Port (MDIP), an economic landmark capital project designed to bring Nigerian ports services closer to the Northeast region, comprising six states. Once operational, the dry port in Borno State will create thousands of jobs, generate significant internal revenue, and boost the state's overall economic activities by reducing logistics costs and significantly decongesting coastal ports of Apapa, Calabar, and Warri in the southern part of the country.
African Continental Free Trade Area in Banki
In a related development, Zulum's administration is also working to fully establish the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Banki, a border town with Cameroon, with the ongoing process already at an advanced stage of completion. Beyond the scale-up of non-oil exports from Borno, Zulum stated: "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 industrialize the state, create jobs, generate revenue, and permanently shift the state's economy away from over-reliance on monthly federal accounts allocations."
