‘Cargo Clearance From Lekki Port Takes 5 To 10 Days’

Lekki Freeport Terminal, the terminal operator for the Lekki Deep Seaport has assured shippers of a faster turnaround time for the clearance of goods from the port.

According to them, it will take between five to 10 days to clear goods, which is the fastest compared to existing ports across the country.

Kehinde Olubi-Neye, the chief commercial officer of Lekki Freeport Terminal, disclosed this during a joint media parley by the management of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited (LPLEL) and Lekki Freeport Terminal (LFT) at the port site recently.

Olubi-Neye said the project’s promoters have made significant investments in the automation of the processes to ensure that the needless delays associated with existing ports are drastically reduced.

According to him, the automation process at the port is linked to the automated gate to allow for a vehicle booking system where truck drivers are required to book appointments in advance.

He said that the port has completed the construction of a Truck Park with the capacity to accommodate 150 trucks at a time.

“We have executed significant barge moves between Ikorodu and Kirikiri. We have done over five barge moves totalling 900 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units of containers (TEUs). We also believe this would allow Lekki Port to play a role in cargo uptake using Eastern ports of Calabar, Onitsha, and Warri,” he added.

Laurence Smith, chief operating officer of Lekki Port, urged stakeholders including the media, to continue to support the port by promoting it.

“This is the gateway to the maritime and beyond. I have not seen any investment like this anywhere other than in Dubai. This port can generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for Nigeria and hundreds of thousands of jobs,” Smith said.

Joseph Ephraim, the assistant controller of Nigeria Customs Service, said the agency is on the ground to provide much-needed support by collaborating with other regulatory agencies to ensure the timely evacuation of cargo at the Port.

Adesuwa Ladoja, executive director of LPLEL, described the seaport as a project of pride not only for the promoters but for the government and the people of Nigeria.