The collaborative efforts between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) are set to intensify as both entities recommit to enhancing trade facilitation and boosting exports.
The commitment was affirmed during a visit by the Comptroller General of the NCS, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and his management team to the NPA’s headquarters in Lagos on Thursday.
Highlighting the significance of this collaboration, the Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Belo-Koko, emphasized the need to streamline export processes, aiming for seamless facilitation of cargoes on ocean-going vessels. Expressing concern about the current practice where Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) report to export desks at seaports, Belo-Koko proposed consolidating these desks to simplify the reporting process for exporters.
Bello-Koko said the collapse of the export desk in different commands would reduce export bureaucracy, stressing that the facility in Lilypond should be put to proper use.
He added that NPA would work with customs to drive export as part of measures to support the Federal Government economic diversification efforts.
Bello-Koko also urged the CGC to look into the issue of 24 hours cargo operations, use of scanners and other challenges affecting efficiency in the port.
“He has worked with us to see that the export desk set up is actually functioning. We have seen a great increase, a spike in the quantity of cargo in terms of export and we will discuss the best way to collapse the export desk.
“This is to ensure one reporting line so as to ensure proper monitoring in carrying out responsibilities,” he said.
Addressing the issue of overtime cargoes, the NPA boss urged the Customs CG to include the authority among the agencies benefiting from the proceeds of auctioning such cargoes. Belo-Koko emphasized the financial strain on NPA in relocating overtime cargoes from seaports to the Ikorodu terminal. He urged corrective action, emphasizing the importance of considering NPA in the distribution of auction proceeds for more equitable outcomes.
He said: “Today’s meeting is to further collaborate on issues like decongestion of the port to bring efficiency and clear cargo as quickly as possible.
“We have discussed on the issue of 24 hours cargo evacuation, on officers working on shifts to ensure cargoes are discharged and I appreciate the leadership in Tincan and Apapa commands for ensuring trade facilitation.
“For us to achieve 24 hours cargo evacuation, it means that the shipping lines, terminal operators and security must be on their toes, we have worked out modalities,” he said.
On issue of scanner, Bello-Koko stressed the need for terminal operators to ensure that existing scanners were in good shape.
“The CGC has been quite cooperative to ensure that trade facilitation is seamless and ensure that cost of doing business at the port has been reduced.
The NPA boss noted that just recently, they received a directive for the setting-up of a national committee for the deployment of National Single Window, adding that customs would play a key role there.
He also added that the NPA was working with the Lagos State Government to decongest the port and strengthen security for night discharge of cargoes.
“The Lagos State Government is working towards ensuring illumination, ones the whole place is lighten up, we reduce the people that will hang around in the night to create havoc.
“NPA will ensure that the port premises are illuminated, discuss with the Nigerian Police, the marine police operating within the port for security as the Federal Government is serious about improving port efficiency,” he said.
Responding, Adeniyi said his visit to the NPA was to deepen the collaboration to ensure efficiency and competitiveness in the port.
He said both organisations work together to address anything that would negate the smooth operations at the port.
“On efficiency of the port, we need to talk how friendly they are, how good our processes are, the safety, the culture and integrity to get it right.
“In other climes, the port operate around the clock and we are happy with the progress we have made on 24-hour operations.
“We are also engaging with our colleagues in the other side of the border, the Benin Republic, to ensure that laws are respected, and it is about putting regulations which are flouted,” he said.
Adeniyi called for deployment of technology for competitive and efficient service delivery at the port
“If we deploy technology to examine goods rather than subjecting them to 100 per cent examination, that is one way to make them faster and more efficient.
“More importantly, we are working with all our partners, we are launching a time release study for us to actually determine the time and cost it takes to clear goods in our ports,” he said.
He noted that the aim was to identify the bottlenecks affecting operations at the port.
