Nigerian ports, before now, have been described as the most expensive and inefficient in the West and Central Africa sub-region. This made the nation’s seaports unattractive to importers who prefer diverting cargoes meant for Nigerian ports to neighbouring countries that have efficient port system.
For instance, neighbouring Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana seaports received cargoes meant for Nigerian port because of their efficiency and ability of the ports to meet the yearnings of the importers and clearing agents.
Dilapidated port infrastructure, long cargo dwell time, vessels turn around time, long clearing process and port congestion occasioned by traffic gridlock on the port access road were basic challenges that have retarded the viability of the nation’s seaports.
This myriad of challenges contributed immensely to cargo diversion to neighbouring countries by importers, thereby, affecting the nation’s revenue generation and cargo throughput.
However, in the last few years, things have turned around for good following painstaking work to enforce reforms.
The crusade to restore sanity at the ports was championed by Mohammed Bello-Koko following his appointment as the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Since his appointment, Bello-Koko has changed the narrative of the nation’s seaports, taking the port from the lowest ebb to be the beautiful bride to importers.
Now, Nigerian seaports are now preferred destination to Nigerian importers as well as to land locked neighbouring countries who prefer to route their transit cargoes through the nation’s seaports.
In fact, industry stakeholders have applauded the tremendous turnaround of the Nigeria port system in a short period especially the completion of Lekki deep seaport, championing the rehabilitation of dilapidated port access road, ending port congestion and perennial traffic gridlock on the port access road through the enforcement of Electronic Call-up system among others.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, an importer, Chukwuma Onyebuchi, said the rehabilitation of the collapsed infrastructure as championed by the current managing director of the authority has increased importers confidence in the port sector.
Onyebuchi, said, “Over the years, there have been complaints about collapsed infrastructure at the Lagos port but, it’s only the current management that has been at the forefront of championing the rehabilitation of collapsed port infrastructure secured approval for the construction and rehabilitation of Quay Infrastructure at Berth 15, Lagos Port Complex, Apapa.
This gesture has investors confidence in the port. Also, the managing director recently disclosed that approval was given for the Completion of Road Network for the integration of Berth 9,10, &11 at Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne Port.”
“There has also been a significant reduction in truck turn-around time due to successful implementation of the E-Call Up System. Enforcement of Minimum Safety Standards on trucks which stipulates that all trucks accessing the Ports are inspected, certified and issued stickers to assure safety and 65 per cent reduction in number of accidents recorded, arising from improved standards of trucks operating within the Port premises,” he said.
Also speaking to LEADERSHIP, a foremost freight forwarder, Kelechi Okafor, said the installation of navigational buoys and acquisition of tugboats have helped tremendously in eliminating vessels delay and improved efficiency.
“The current management provision and installation of 86 buoys for Warri and Calabar Pilotage Districts, for proper channel marking and route mapping has made Nigeria ports attractive to shipowners. The acquisition of Harbour Crafts such as tugboats, Pilot Cutters, and Patrol Boats to eliminate delays associated with berthing and sailing of vessels and improve efficiency at the Ports.
Others are: Dry-docking of various marine crafts to increase the fleet of marine crafts available for vessel support operations, procurement and deployment of Security Patrol Boats (SPBs) to all pilotage districts to address incessant attacks of vessels along the channels and at ports’ waterfronts, establishment of a robust partnership with the EU-funded West and Central Africa Ports Security (WeCAPS) towards risk prevention, vulnerability assessment of port infrastructure, skills acquisition to port personnel to strengthen the security and safety of the Nigerian Ports and standardisation of Operational Procedures for Different Activities such as barging, private jetties, pilotage, vessel berthing/sailing etc.”
Speaking on the traffic gridlock, Okafor said, “similarly, there has been significant reduction in the traffic gridlock along the main port corridor and the internal access roads through enforcements, proper batching, continuous access control mechanisms and movement of cargo via barge operations, provision of 24 motorcycles deployed to aid effective monitoring of Truck E-Call Up operation at Apapa/TCIPC/Ijora axis to ease free flow of traffic, established a standing partnership with the Police high command resulting in the reduction of illegal checkpoints along the port corridor to stem abuse and extortion as well make traffic management more effective.”
However, stakeholders have also applauded the increase remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), by the NPA in the last one year.
They argued that the remittances have contributed to the nation’s economy amid poor revenue and increase need for fund to build infrastructure and pro ide social amenities.
A marine surveyor, Kolade Emmanuel, said, “the reforms and wrestling of cargoes from neighbouring Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana, has increased the NPA’s remittances to Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the federation with revenues steadily growing from N317 billion in 2020 to N361billion in 2022 and remittances progressively soaring from N80 billion in 2020 to N91 billion by financial year end 2022.
Emmanuel who also operate a barge for movement of cargoes from seaports to hinterland said, “the NPA under Bello-Koko has created new businesses and attendant job opportunities such as the Barge Operations services, which apart from reducing pressure on the roads has grown into a N2 billion business both from direct investment and accompanying externalities.
“I also know of licensing of additional truck parks to increase capacity of trucks servicing the Lagos Ports, licensing of 10 Export Processing Terminals (EPT), to facilitate exports at Nigerian Sea Ports. This is to provide a one-stop shop for export where quality control, cargo assessment by all government agencies and issuance of good-to-ship clearance will be obtained,” he stated.
“Also, for guidance on concession renewal and review negotiations and on access to alternative sources of funding for Port Infrastructural Development as well as tracer studies for implementation of previous initiatives, NPA, engaged the World Bank and International Financial Corporation for advice,” he said.
“The construction and rehabilitation of control towers at Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port and approval for the supply and installation of 180 Marine Fenders to boost the overall integrity of the quay facilities and serve as precautionary measure to prevent any form of accident arising from direct vessel impact on quay wall and completion of consultancy services for the shore protection. Rehabilitation of the Escravos breakwaters, survey and mapping of Warri Pilotage District from Fairway Buoy-Warri-Sapele up to Koko Port to the prescribed standards of the UKHO Charts, which had been left unattended for decades,” he said.
