Nimport Information

Every year, NIMPORT host Africa regional maritime and port industry professionals to a three-day conference and exhibition under the umbrella of Africa NlMPORT to access the industry performance in the delivery of the needed services for global and regional supply chain flow. The event presents a unified platform for marketing and promotion of opportunities within the maritime and logistics sectors and to attract more investors and expand Africa stake in international trade. This event which started on the auspices of Nigeria Federal Ministry of Transportation has continued to project heart-warming intellectual subjects that capture industry essence and offer the solution to pressing industry development challenges. NlMPORT 2019 addressed the quest for an integrated and seamless Africa regional trade under the Theme: Fostering Africas Global Trade Competitiveness . The conference papers presented were geared towards supporting the Regional Continental Free Trade Area (AtCFTA) agreement. President Muhammadu Buhari, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has at the eve of NlMPORT 2O l9 signed the long-awaited agreement to prepare Africa as a common free trade zone. The AfCFTA was expected to fully take off in July 2020 with all 55 Sates, 1.3 billion people, and a combined GDP of about US$34 trillion projected to expand the size of Africa s economy to US$29 trillion by 2050. Unfortunately, COVlD- l 9 pandemic and the global lockdown and downturn on the global economy has slowed the launching of this regional ambitious programme. As was reected in the paper presented by the Ms. HADlZA BALA-USMAN, Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority at the NlMPORT on FOSTERlNG AFRICA 3 TRADE COMPETITIVENESS AND THE ROLE OF PORTS there is no going back. Africa stands in advantage with rapid growth and development of international trade and particularly regional trade and the port industry must be repared while the integration of hinterland transport and logistics to maritime transport network should be topmost in ...