…Strategic hub set to catalyze regional trade, generate employment, and streamline transit logistics
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the Kebbi State Government have solidified their alliance to develop the Tsamiya Inland Dry Port and Vehicle Transit Park. Driven by the NSC’s core mandate to streamline shipping logistics nationwide, this strategic infrastructure is specifically designed to eliminate trade bottlenecks and remove delays for Shippers.
Located in the critical Bagudo local government area bordering Benin Republic, the dual project will serve as a massive economic catalyst. Officials confirm it is uniquely positioned to generate jobs, unlock regional supply chains, and completely transform cross-border trade dynamics across Nigeria’s North-West and broader West African markets.
This milestone was reached during a high-level strategic meeting in Birnin Kebbi, uniting the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr Akutah Pius Ukeyima, MON, FCILT, alongside the Governor of Kebbi State, Dr Nasir Idris, and key promoters of the project.
Speaking at the session, Dr Akutah declared that the proposed Inland Dry Port in the Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State is primed to usher in a new era of trade and logistics across the North-West, emphasizing that the Council is aggressively intensifying efforts to deliver the project.
According to him, the facility will evolve far beyond traditional inland cargo handling. He noted that the project is strategically positioned to stimulate robust economic activities, generate employment, accelerate cargo movement, and reinforce cross-border trade along the critical Nigeria–Benin Republic corridor while simultaneously boosting commercial ties with the Republic of Niger.
The Shippers’ Council boss further explained that the Inland Dry Port serves as a cornerstone of the Federal Government’s strategy to decentralise port services, effectively extending vital shipping and logistics operations deep into the hinterland.
He noted that the initiative will decisively ease congestion at the nation’s primary seaports, optimize cargo distribution efficiency, and make international trade seamlessly accessible to businesses operating outside coastal regions.
Kebbi State’s strategic footprint within the regional trade corridor, he added, uniquely positions the Tsamiya Inland Dry Port as a critical gateway for imports and exports. This setup is primed to anchor agricultural and industrial value chains while robustly strengthening Nigeria’s regional trade connectivity.
Dr Akutah also stressed that deploying modern logistics infrastructure is absolutely essential to unlocking the corridor’s deep economic potential and seamlessly handling the surging cargo volumes and commercial activities anticipated within the region.
In response, Governor Nasir Idris commended the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the project promoters for their unwavering commitment. He described the initiative as perfectly aligned with his administration’s blueprint to leverage inland dry ports to aggressively boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), ignite economic activities, and unlock sustainable employment opportunities for the people of Kebbi State.
The Governor also lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that its aggressive focus on infrastructure development is laying a bulletproof foundation for national economic transformation.
He highlighted ongoing Federal Government interventions in the state—specifically the massive Illela–Badagry Superhighway—which he emphasized will drastically improve regional connectivity, facilitate seamless trade, and perfectly complement the operations of the upcoming Inland Dry Port.
Governor Idris further assured investors of airtight security, revealing that the Federal Government is already constructing an Army barracks and a dedicated Police post along the project corridor to shield investments and guarantee the safe, unhindered movement of goods and people.
In a parallel move to fortify the region’s logistics network, Dr Akutah announced strategic plans to establish a modern Vehicle Transit Park along the vital Lagos–Sokoto Superhighway.
He explained that the facility will provide long-haul truck drivers with a secure, organized oasis to rest, refuel, and access essential services. Beyond driver welfare, the park is engineered to drastically improve road safety, slash transit delays, optimize freight efficiency, and ignite fresh entrepreneurial ecosystems along the transport corridor.
Providing a critical update on the project’s rollout, the NSC Executive Secretary disclosed that the promoters have submitted all mandatory documentation to the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), where the application is undergoing final processing.
He expressed absolute confidence that the moment the Certificate of Compliance is secured, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council will immediately trigger the next phase of physical execution.
This strategic roundtable follows an intensive on-site inspection of the proposed hub by top NSC officials, underscores the Council’s aggressive push to clear all regulatory and procedural hurdles well ahead of the project’s official take-off.
The Tsamiya Inland Dry Port stands as a flagship initiative within the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s broader campaign to democratise port access, slash logistics overheads, and deepen regional integration. Ultimately, the project anchors the Federal Government’s overarching vision to engineer an efficient, multimodal transport matrix that will fuel sustainable economic growth.
