The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has refuted recent online publications alleging multi-billion naira corruption within the organisation, describing the accusations as “spurious allegations” that are “false and without any credibility.”
In a strongly worded statement released on Sunday, 11 May 2025, the NPA management addressed each point raised in the reports, offering detailed clarifications and asserting its commitment to probity.
Regarding budgetary oversight, the Authority stated unequivocally that “the budget and expenditure of the NPA are subject to the strict supervision of the Ministry of Marine & Blue Economy, the Budget Office of the Federation as well as the comprehensive oversight of the National Assembly and this makes the allegation of misapplication of budgetary provisions impossible.”
Addressing the contract for dredging works at the Warri Escravos Channel, a critical area for Nigeria’s oil and gas operations, the NPA clarified that the procurement “followed laid down processes and procedures for emergency procurement as laid down in the Procurement Act, 2007, contrary to allegations in the report.” The Authority emphasized the necessity of the dredging to combat increasing siltation and prevent “international embarrassment and huge investment losses from shipping vessels running aground.”
Similarly, the procurement of marine crafts was defended as being “carried out in line with the provisions of the Procurement Act, 2007.” The NPA explained that this acquisition was “initiated and undertaken in response to the exigency of ensuring national energy security through the implementation of sale of crude oil in Naira to domestic refiners, which involved intensive offshore operations.”
Dismissing claims of document withholding, the management asserted that “the allegation of documents being withheld ‘for over a year’ is untenable, as the extant civil service guidelines governing the timeline for processing of official documents makes it impossible.”
The Authority also flatly denied any financial impropriety at its London office, stating that “allegations made in connection with expenditures at the Authority’s London office are outrightly false as there as dealings or transactions speculated in the report never took place.”
A significant increase in revenue for 2024 was attributed to “exchange rate gains, since the Authority’s is denominated in FOREX in line with global maritime best practice.”
On the matter of staff promotions and appointments, the NPA maintained that these actions “were undertaken to address the age stagnation of personnel in the Authority” and that “Management, however, followed due process as prescribed in the Authority’s duly approved conditions of service.”
Clarifying the revocation of third-party contracts, the Authority stated that such actions “were in accordance with extant law as well as contractual agreements with all the concerned parties.”
The allegation of low staff morale was also strongly countered, with the NPA highlighting the “clearing of all outstanding issues of employee stagnation and the conduct of promotion examinations in 2024.” The statement further claimed that “the management has received commendation from the two in-house labour unions for these reasons. So, staff morale is at its peak currently.”
Looking ahead, the NPA underscored its commitment to enhancing the competitiveness of Nigerian ports, noting that it “recently secured Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval for the commencement of the Port Modernization Programme.”
The Authority also highlighted progress in “process automation through the Port Community System (PCS)” in anticipation of the National Single Window project.
The NPA management urged media organizations to “seek clarification of their reports from the Authority, whose doors are open to constructive engagements and clarifications where necessary.”
The Abubakar Dantsoho-led Management concluded by assuring “all stakeholders and the generality of Nigerians of its unwavering commitment to deepening the competitiveness of Nigerian Ports through infrastructure and equipment renewal (which has commenced) as well as process automation.”
