Kaduna dryport attracts N2bn investments in 6 months

THE management of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port (KIDP) Ltd has revealed that since the facility was commissioned by President Mohammed Buhari in January 2018, the facility has attracted investments in excess of N2bn.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday in Lagos, Chairman of KIDP, Mr Tope Borisade explained that many shipping companies have already opened offices in the Kaduna based facility.

According to Mr Borisade, “Since the commissioning of the KIDP on January 4th, 2018 by Mr President, the facility has been granted Port Code 02KD Location KD001 by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

“Also, the Nigerian Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS 11) platform has been installed at the KIDP.

“Furthermore, the port has been listed on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Electronic Form M platform. The Federal Ministry of Transportation has also notified the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations  (FIATA) of the establishment of the port.

“We have received a lot of enquiries from importers, exporters, shipping companies and freight forwarders who are eager to patronise the port. We are in discussions with them, and we expect this discussion to materialise within the normal international trade cycle. Investments inflow at the facility is over N2bn”

On access into the port, Mr Borisade explained that the facility is directly connected to a rail line under the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

He expressed optimism in the company’s ability to contribute immensely to national economic integration and growth through employment generation for youths in the host community and other professionals rendering ancillary services.

Borisade lauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s support for the project and added that the port has been enjoying the support of other government agencies like Nigeria Shippers Council, Nigeria Railway Corporation and the Kaduna State Government.

He also thanked Governor Nasir El Rufai for his commitment to upgrading all support physical infrastructures like roads to support the movement of heavy vehicles in and out of the port.

The dry port, in his words, is also ready to support government’s economic diversification agenda through seamless processing of exports from Northern states, with all documentation completed in Kaduna, to seaports for shipment abroad.

The Kaduna Inland Dry Port was gazetted as a dry port of origin and final destination on May 19, 2015. It is the first of six other dry ports that have been commissioned and ready for operation pending arrival of rail coaches for the movement of cargoes from the seaports to Kaduna and from Kaduna to the seaports.