Dala woos AP Moller Maersk to invest in devt of $30m Kano inland port

Dala Inland Port & Logistics Free Zone, the concessionaire in charge of Kano Inland Container Depot (ICD) said it’s considering sending a second partnership invitation to AP Moller Maersk Group, requesting the Group to invest in the development of its $30 million Kano Inland Dry Port.

AP Moller Maersk Group, was said to have rejected the initial investment offer made to it by the Dala Group following the failure of the Federal Government to declare Kano as a port of origin and destination, which has also been the issue limiting the successful take-off of the six ICDs approved by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, to be built in six geo-political zones in 2003.

However, BusinessDay recently discovered that the AP Moller Maersk Group has already received an Inland Container Depot (ICD) license from the Federal Government, which enabled it to commence the development of an ICD operation along Kano-Zaria road or Kano-Kaduna road.

“We have been discussing with AP Moller Maersk Group for a very long time to invest in our inland port project, but they insisted the port must be declared as a port of origin and destination before they can sink in their funds in the Greenfield project, disclosed Ahmad Rabiu, chairman of the Dala Inland Port & Logistics Free Zone, in an interview with BusinessDay in Jos recently.

Rabiu, who said that the AP Moller Maersk Group expressed fears that they can sink in their funds and Federal Government may not make the declaration as expected, added that his company would also go after the Group again, but off course “that is subject to the agreement we had at the initial stage”.

Confirming the AP Moller Maersk Group new investment drive in Nigeria, a source close to the company, who claimed anonymity said that the development of the ICD in Kano is geared towards taking advantage of the Federal Government economic diversification drive. 

The source, however added that the investment would position the Danish shipping conglomerate to benefit from the opportunities inherent in exporting agricultural produces in the north.

Apart from AP Moller Maersk Group, Dala is currently in talks with another foreign partner, who has proposed to bring about 51 percent equity stakes into the Inland port project.

Findings show that there are two projects that give advantage to Kano Inland Port, and they include Kano-Kaduna-Malabi corridor that was promoted by the Nigerian Business Joint Commission to facilitate movement of goods within that corridor and the LAKAJI Corridor, which also facilitate movement of goods from Lagos-Kano-Jabi till Niger Republic.

It was discovered that the promoters of the port project are in touch with these corridors and collaborating with them to get support for the port project.

Uzoamaka Anagor-Ewuzie