Nigeria, Belgium deepen bilateral ties to grow trade

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Kingdom of Belgium have expressed readiness to deepen bilateral ties in order to increase efficiency at the nation’s seaports and record growth in trade volumes between the two countries.

Nigeria’s exports to Belgium were worth $291.53m in 2023, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

Speaking after receiving the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt, the Managing Director of NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, said the minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, had given the authority necessary backing to enhance Nigeria’s share in the trade statistics of West and Central Africa.

He said: “The annual volume of West African freight in Antwerp amounts to almost 17 million tonnes, resulting in a market share of 31 per cent. Nigeria, with a volume of over six million tonnes, accounts for the largest part.”

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Dantsoho also disclosed the readiness of the authority to leverage on the technical know-how of the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, to operationalise the Port Community System (PCS).