Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Isiala Ngwa Inland Dry Port, IDP, project in Abia State is gaining momentum, poised to become a major economic driver for the state and the South-East region.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, has renewed efforts to revitalize the long-dormant project, originally gazetted in 2006.
During a courtesy visit to Dr. Alex Otti, Governor of Abia State, the Executive Secretary of the NSC, Dr. Akutah Pius, expressed appreciation for the governor’s support and emphasized the strategic importance of the dry port in decentralising maritime operations and extending logistics infrastructure to Nigeria’s inland commercial corridors.
He noted that with active collaboration between the state government and the concessioners, the IDP project has the potential to unlock substantial economic benefits for Abia and beyond, transform the Region and position it as a major trade hub in the South-East region.
Dr. Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, expressed his appreciation to the Executive Secretary and CEO of the NSC and his team for the visit.
He emphasized his desire for the Inland Dry Port operations to commence in the state.
He noted that there is the need for a rail system that can efficiently move goods from the seaport to the Inland Drp Port, reducing costs and increasing competitiveness.
The NSC has reaffirmed its commitment to providing technical and regulatory support to ensure the dry port becomes a major asset for economic transformation.
