President Muhammadu Buhari, will on Thursday, commission Nigeria’s first inland dry port in Kakuri, Kaduna State, North West Nigeria.
A statement by the Director, Special Duties of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Mr. Ignatius Nweke, said the port, which is among the seven dry ports being promoted by the Council, was built by Kaduna Inland Dry Port Limited.
Mr. Nweke said that the port has the capacity to handle 29,000 tonnes of cargoes yearly at the first phase of operation and likely to double when fully completed.
It is also estimated to generate about 5000 jobs at the commencement of operations.
He said: “The Kaduna Dry Port which is the first of its kind in Nigeria would receive cargo from Apapa Port in Lagos, through the railway or by road and also export goods through the same channel”.
According to Mr. Nweke,” the idea to establish Inland Container Depots in the hinterland, was informed by the need to reduce the congestion in Lagos ports and provide relief for the busy Apapa road”.
He said the port, when commissioned will provide an easy process for the export of farm produce from Kaduna and neighbouring states as well as landlocked areas.
A Dry Port is an inland intermodal terminal directly connected by road, rail and air to a sea port and operating as a centre for trans-shipment of sea cargo to inland destinations.
Also in Kaduna, President Buhari will commission ten new coaches and two locomotives for the Kaduna – Abuja train service.
