Abubakar Dantsoho

Abubakar Dantsoho (born 26 March 1969) is a Nigerian maritime administrator and public sector executive. He serves as the 29th Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA),

Early life and personal background Abubakar Dantsoho was born on 26 March 1969 and hails from Jalingo Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria. He is married and has children. Between 1993 and 2006, he served in a range of commercial and marketing roles across several port complexes and departments, including the Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) Port and Tin Can Island Port. During this period, he also undertook support assignments as Personal Assistant and Special Assistant to senior management officials within the Authority.

From 2006 to 2019, he moved through senior management positions within the NPA, holding roles including Assistant Manager, Manager, Senior Manager, and Principal Manager in the Commercial, Tariff, and Billing functions. He additionally served at various times as Technical Assistant to the Managing Director and held assignments at both the Authority's headquarters and operational port locations.

In 2020, Dantsoho was appointed Port Manager of the Onne Port Complex in Rivers State, where he was responsible for overseeing port operations and stakeholder coordination. He was later promoted to Assistant General Manager at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) headquarters and subsequently served as Special Assistant to the Managing Director. Between 2022 and 2023, Dantsoho served as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Transportation. In this role, he was involved in administrative coordination, policy support, and representation of the Minister at official engagements.

Recognition In December 2025, Dantsoho received the Award of Excellence in Maritime Infrastructure Modernisation and Global Competitiveness at the Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service, a presidential initiative recognising exceptional service in public administration. In 2025, he was named Man of the Year by The Reporters Nigeria Magazine for his leadership in enhancing port efficiency and Nigeria's maritime profile. Dantsoho was elected Vice‑President for Africa of the International Association of Ports & Harbours (IAPH) in August 2025, highlighting his international recognition. He also became the first Nigerian to be elected Chairman of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA), further demonstrating his regional leadership in the maritime industry.