By Ifeanyinwa Obi

The Chairman, Djibouti Ports and Free Trade Zones Authority (DPFTZA), Mr. Aboubaker Omar Hadi, yesterday, lamented that the challenges of long transit time encountered by freight forwarders to trans-lift cargoes from Europe and Asia to Nigeria, as well as other African nations, was due to lack of adequate rail and air connections linking countries in the continent.

L-R: Dr. Oluropo Owolabi, Managing Director/CEO, Skyway Aviation Handling Limited (SAHCOL), Mr. Markus Brinkmann, Managing Director, Sifax Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Honorary Consul of Djibouti in Nigeria and Mr. Aboubaker Omar Hadi, Chairman, Djibouti Ports and Free Trade Zone Authority, during the Djibouti Business Forum organised by Sifax Group and Djibouti Consulate in Lagos.

In a bid to therefore reduce the long transit time, by as much as 50 per cent, Djibouti, one of the countries in the Horn of Africa is set to launch a Sea-Air Cargo Service to Nigeria and other West African countries.

When fully operational, the service will involve shipping goods from major ports in Europe and Asia to Djibouti ports, from where such cargoes would be airlifted directly to various destinations on the continent, including Nigeria.

Speaking during the Djibouti Business Forum (DBF), to unveil the business opportunities in the logistics sub-sector of Djibouti to the Nigerian business community, which was hosted by Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, the Honorary Consul of Djibouti in Nigeria and Group Executive Vice Chairman, Sifax Group, in collaboration with the Djibouti Consulate, Mr. Aboubaker this Sea-Air Cargo Service would boost trade on the continent.

According to him, Djibouti which is located along the second busiest shipping route in the world that transits 60% of the world maritime traffic, is making frantic efforts, alongside other countries, to build maritime, aviation and other logistics infrastructures across the continent.

He said: “We are developing the sea-air cargo business to serve land locked East and Central African countries as well as far away West African countries which currently have to endure unreasonably long transit time for their imports coming from Asia. This has been handicapping the business community for many years and the development of sea-air cargo services especially for high value goods will be a great solution.”

Aboubaker further noted that the country has invested millions of dollars in infrastructural development in order to meet the demands of becoming a multi-modal regional hub for East Africa as well as being a key player in the seamless connection of Africa especially through rail and air.
Earlier, Dr. Afolabi, the Honorary Consul of Djibouti in Nigeria and Group Executive Vice Chairman, Sifax Group, enjoined Nigerian businessmen and investors to take advantage of the emerging economic opportunities in the country, adding that Djibouti is positioned to become the Dubai of Africa in the next few years.

Afolabi noted that the country enjoyed the advantage of a stable political system, strategic location on a busy maritime route and a friendly business environment. He assured interested Nigerians of the assistance of the consulate and Sifax Group in facilitating both business and investment needs in Djibouti.

The Consul also announced that the consulate and Sifax Group would organize a trade mission to Djibouti in October, 2015.

“The trade mission will provide a platform for interested parties to explore and interact effectively with a view to making an informed decision on available opportunities and partnerships of mutual interest and benefits,” he said.

Also, Mr. Markus Brinkmann, Managing Director, Sifax Group, said with subsidiaries like Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited, a port operator and Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, an aviation ground handling company, Sifax Group is well positioned to support Djibouti in delivering this ambitious project.