The Success story of Hadiza Bala Usman

• Women in maritime extol Usman
  on excellent leadership qualities
• Scores her high on managerial competence

(By Udeme Clement):

Professional Women in the maritime sector have extolled the exemplary leadership qualities of Hadiza Bala Usman, as the first female Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), with records of outstanding performance in the port industry.

The group described the performance of Usman as most remarkable in the sector and the economy at large.

While some women in maritime described Usman as a competent administrator, others said she is a role model to many women in leadership positions in Nigeria.
Speaking further, the Women Group scored Usman high on managerial competence she displayed in office within four years as NPA boss, stressing that her resilience in office has attracted commendations from maritime experts in Nigeria, and even the international community.

Remarkable Feats

• Usman remains the first female Managing Director of NPA, to establish a Creche at Lagos Port Complex (LPC).
• The commissioning of Command & Control, Communication and Intelligence Centre for NPA are part of her success story. The centre is designed to serve as surveillance of all activities and as information network unit for security agencies in the ports.
  *Under the leadership of Usman, NPA launched Provisional Final Billing and Customer Portal Module of Revenue Invoice Management System aimed at creating efficient payment method, to check fraud and revenue leakages.
  *NPA under her watch achieved Acquisition and Commissioning of four new Tug boats namely, MT Daura, MT Ubima, MT Uromi and MT Majiya, to improve operational efficiency at all times.
  *Usman ensured establishment and entrenchment of a level playing field for all operators in the port industry, by removing bottlenecks hindering effective competition in the industry. A typical example is de-classification of port terminals to remove categorisation of some ports as strictly oil and gas.
• She brought transparency and accountability to bear, as NPA becomes the first MDA to open its budget to the public by signing a Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU) with the Open Budget System Platform and Implementating Public Data Dissemination programme.
  *Today, it is on record that Usman introduced a new licensing regime, to ensure transparency and due process, as well as
  review of concession agreements, to ensure seamless collaboration for a sustained development of Nigerian Maritime industry.

Enormous Contributions to Economic growth
More so, in furtherance of President Buhari’s economy diversification process into non-oil export sectors, NPA under Usman developed SOP and established dedicated terminal to handle exports aimed at enhancing government’s non-oil export revenue flow.
The dedicated terminals are: Ikorodu Lighter Terminal for Lagos State, Shoreline Logistics Terminal for Calabar Port in Cross River State, Bua Ports and Terminal, among others.
In efforts to ensure ports access roads are in good shape, NPA under Usman signed MOU with FMWH for the reconstruction of port access road at Apapa, Lagos. The project cost was put at N4.34 billion and NPA contributed N1.829 billion to fast track the work.
Inter-agency collaboration
The regime of Hadiza Usman initiated collaboration of NPA with other agencies of government for smooth running of the port system. For instance, collaborated with Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to introduce Single Window Platform, aimed at simplifying & harmonising procedures in the system.

Thus, reforms carried out by Usman restored investors confidence in the port industry. Such investors, include, the China Harbour Engineering Company, which is taking up the balance of NPA’s equity in Lekki Deep Seaports project. DP World signed a partnership agreement with Josepdam Port Services, while the Tanger Med of Morocco indicated willingness to develop a Green Field Terminal logistic base among others.

Efficient management of human and material resources :

For efficient management of human and material resources, Usman carried out a major restructuring that led to realignment of NPA’s organisational structure to reduce cost and improve efficiency of business processes. She introduced merit driven performance management system to improve employees and organisational productivity.For stakeholders and port users convenience, the Authority published its tariff regime on its website to ensure transparency and accountability.
In effort to improve ship traffic at the Eastern Ports(Delta, Calabar and Port Harcourt ), NPA under Usman deployed Tug Boats , Pilot Cutters and initiated dredging works of the port channels. The successful berthing of FPSO Egina project is an attestation to the constant operational preparedness of NPA to serve clients efficiently.

Another milestone recorded by NPA was constant engagement of stakeholders by the management on quarterly basis, which resulted in industrial harmony. Usman also flagged off the construction of Lekki Deep Sea port.
Construction and equipping of a Simulation Center. The facility is designed to undertake capacity building initiative of NPA Pilots for improved and world class navigation dissemination programmes.

The regime of Usman regime also completed the remedial dredging work at Escravos access channel to increase inflow of ocean-going vessels into Delta Ports, which will also impact positively on the socio -economic development of the area in terms of increased trade and commerce. Among other strategic achievements.