Kano Dry Port in Nigeria is set to commence operation in January 2018. Alhaji Ahmed Rabi’u, Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited Kano Chairman announced, during a sensitisation workshop.

The agenda

The agenda of the workshop was on ‘Understanding Basic International Trade and Complaints Redress Mechanism in Export/Import Trade’. North West Zone of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) organized the workshop in Dutse.

In 2003, the Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited Kano was awarded the responsibility to operate the Kano Dry Port. Though, final technical arrangement and formal take of the port are expected to be concluded in three weeks time.

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“All technical arrangements have been concluded with the exception of the declaration which we are expecting to be formalised in the next three weeks,” said Alhaji Ahmed Rabi’u.

In the next six months activities in the port will start in earnest.

75-80% constitutes of Nigerian cargo export, thus the Kano Dry Port is expected to generate millions of dollars in terms of revenue.

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Additional dry ports

Additionally, six dry ports (inland container deports – ICDs) are being constructed across the country through public private partnership will be linked to rail lines to ease movement of cargo in Nigeria.

The ICDs will be located in Funtua  in Katsina State, Kano, Kaduna, Isiala Agwa in Abia, Jos in Plateau and Ibadan in Oyo State and all will be linked to the railways down to the sea ports.

Dala Inland Dry Port is located at Zawachiki in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.Inland Port Dry, Warehouse, Transport and Logistics Free Zone.

A dry port also known as inland port is an inland intermodal terminal directly connected by road or rail to a seaport and operating as a centre for the transshipment of sea cargo to inland destinations.

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Dry ports storage facilities

Dry ports also have facilities for storage and consolidation of goods, maintenance for road or rail cargo carriers and customs clearance services. The location of these facilities at a dry port relieves competition for storage and customs space at the seaport itself.

A dry inland port can speed the flow of cargo between ships and major land transportation networks, creating a more central distribution point. Inland ports can improve the movement of imports and exports, moving the time-consuming sorting and processing of containers inland, away from congested seaports.