Despite significant improvements in export processing at Lilypond Export Command, the movement of containers from the terminal to Apapa Port remains a major challenge due to persistent traffic congestion on port access roads.
Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Lilypond Export Command, Ajibola Odusanya, disclosed this while interacting with members of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) at the International Press Centre, Apapa. He noted that while Customs can process export documentation within hours, delays in transferring containers to Apapa Port continue to slow down the process. According to Odusanya, priority is currently given to clearing import containers out of the port, making it difficult for export-laden trucks to gain access. He stated that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and APM Terminals are making efforts to ease the internal port traffic, but more work needs to be done to ensure seamless movement of export containers for shipment.
The Nigerian government had, in 2022, designated Lilypond Port as an export processing terminal under a partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the NPA to boost non-oil exports. Since then, the facility has witnessed a significant rise in export processing. Odusanya revealed that between July and December 2024, Lilypond processed export goods valued at about $2 billion, while in February 2025 alone, the command handled exports worth $225 million.
This, he attributed to improved inter-agency collaboration, stating that all relevant agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and the quarantine service, now operate at the terminal.
He explained that with this synergy, export goods processed at Lilypond are not stopped by any other agency en route to Apapa or Tin Can Port, as only Lilypond Customs officers check them at the port gate, unless there is a security alert.
Despite the streamlined export processing, Odusanya highlighted the growing concern over logistics bottlenecks.
He noted that trucks loaded with export containers often get stuck in long queues, even after securing their Electronic Call-Up System (ETO) approval. He lamented that if one visits Lilypond now, many containers are ready for export, but moving them to the port remains the real challenge, as sometimes, even with a valid ETO, trucks are stranded due to congestion.
The Customs boss urged all stakeholders, including NPA and terminal operators, to intensify efforts in addressing the port access road challenges. He stressed that the chaotic situation of the past must not be allowed to return, emphasizing the need to maintain the sanity currently achieved on port roads.
