Liberia: NPA Advances Continental Port Data Reform at Abidjan Workshop

MONROVIA –The National Port Authority (NPA) is participating in a high level continental workshop in Abidjan this week, joining port authorities and maritime stakeholders from across Africa in what is being described as a pivotal step toward transforming the continent’s port sector through reliable data systems.

By Selma Lomax, [email protected] 

The gathering, which runs from March 23 to 27, 2026, centers on the Data Validation Workshop of the African Ports Connectivity Portal Project, a major initiative aimed at strengthening how port performance is measured, compared, and improved across Africa.

Heading the Liberian delegation is Amb. R. Van Ross, Executive Director for Planning, Research, and Economic Affairs at the NPA, alongside Ms. Esther K. Nmah, Executive Director for Port States Coordination, Mr. Chris K. Larmin, Research Manager within the Department of Planning, Research and Economic Affairs, and Mr. Alfred T. Kamara, Planning Manager representing APM Terminals Liberia. Officials say the composition of the delegation reflects a deliberate effort by the NPA to ensure that policy expertise, technical research capacity, and operational insight are all represented in shaping the future of African port systems.

The African Ports Connectivity Portal Project, launched by the African Development Bank in September 2025, was conceived in response to longstanding challenges facing the continent’s maritime sector.

For decades, Africa’s ports have operated with limited access to reliable and comparable data, a gap that has weakened strategic planning, reduced investor confidence, and made it difficult for ports to measure their performance against global standards.

The ongoing workshop represents a critical transition from data collection to validation, a stage that experts describe as both complex and essential. Participants are scrutinizing submitted datasets, identifying inconsistencies, and working to establish a credible and trusted foundation for the portal.

According to organizers, this phase is central to ensuring that the final platform will support evidence based decision making and attract meaningful investment into port infrastructure across the continent.

Discussions at the workshop are focused on aligning survey tools with the project’s Connectivity Index, defining key performance indicators, and agreeing on standardized metrics that will allow for accurate cross border comparisons.

Delegates are also addressing governance structures that will guide how port data is collected, shared, and safeguarded. A major concern under review is the issue of data gaps, often referred to as ‘missingness’, which continues to undermine the reliability of port statistics in many African countries.

Technical contributions from global institutions, including UNCTAD, the World Bank, and UN Comtrade, are adding depth to the deliberations. Their involvement is expected to help ensure that the portal meets international standards and is robust enough to guide major infrastructure investments across Africa’s maritime sector.

For Liberia, participation in the initiative carries significant national importance. As a country that hosts one of the largest ship registries in the world and occupies a strategic position along the West African coast, Liberia stands to benefit directly from improved port performance metrics and stronger global credibility.

Officials say the NPA’s active role in shaping the project is not only about regional cooperation but also about positioning Liberia’s ports as competitive and investment ready.

As the workshop continues, the NPA is expected to contribute to shaping the standards that will define how African ports are evaluated for years to come. Authorities say the engagement underscores Liberia’s commitment to strengthening its maritime sector through transparency, data driven planning, and international collaboration.

By the end of the week, participants are expected to leave Abidjan with clearer frameworks and agreed standards that will guide the next phase of the project. For the NPA, the outcome represents more than participation in a technical exercise. It signals Liberia’s stake in a broader continental effort to ensure that Africa’s ports are supported by credible data, stronger governance, and a shared vision for sustainable growth.