Before now, the Lagos Port Complex of Apapa and Tin-Can Island have become the two major ports of destinations for Nigerian importers. Even, importers whose cargoes are destined for the Eastern part of the country would prefer to import through Apapa or Tin-Can Island Port before onward transfer to their destination.
The choice of Lagos Port by importers is basically due to insecurity in the Eastern port, dilapidated and outdated port infrastructure and high cost of doing business occasioned by insecurity. The challenges in the Eastern port, however, put pressure on the Lagos Port as well as other infrastructure in the states overwhelmed.
For instance, the quay walls and apron at the Lagos Ports of Tin Can Island and Apapa ports have collapsed forcing the government to approve several billions of naira to rehabilitate. Also, critical infrastructure around the ports and outside the port area have been overstretched and dilapidated due to overuse of the infrastructure.
However, as 2025 beckons, maritime stakeholders have set agenda for the nation’s Maritime sector especially the nation’s seaports. The stakeholders demanded full rehabilitation of collapsed infrastructure such as the quay walls, at the Lagos seaports, the actualisation of the National Single Window, full automation of the seaports to reduce human contacts, 24 hours cargo clearance, decongestion of the Lagos Ports, among others.
The implementation of the above stakeholders’ demand will enhance competition of the nation’s seaports with its contemporaries in West and Central Africa as well as quick turnaround time of vessels, among others.
Implementation of National Single Window
The stakeholders argued that the National Single Window project when operational will eliminate human interface and deepen the port’s efficiency.
Speaking, the senior Consultant, NSW Business Process Analysis Committee, Ayokunle Osanyon, explained that the National Single Window is a transformative initiative that seeks to consolidate trade-related information and procedures, addressing critical issues such as duplicated documentation and revenue losses.
The initiative promises to reduce costs and time, simplify documentation, and eliminate redundant procedures. Additionally, the project aims to review and enhance existing trade processes, assess risks, and design standard operating procedures.
“The renewed vigour with which Nigeria is accelerating the implementation of the National Single Window project would, in fundamental terms, deepen port efficiencies by eliminating the human interface that hitherto undermines in-country trade facilitation efforts,” he said.
24-hour Cargo Clearance
The implementation of 24-hour Cargo clearance has been stalled for years due to several factors such as lack of security, electricity among other.
In 2017, it was estimated that importers lose an average of N1 trillion annually to demurrage and storage charges paid to shipping companies and terminal operators for not taking delivery of their consignments as and when due.
However, to achieve this, stakeholders’ advocated Customs officers to work on shifts to enable cargo to be cleared and discharged for 24 hours.
Speaking on 24-hour Cargo clearance, the former National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Nigerian License Customs Agents (ANLCA), said there is a need to put some fundamental infrastructures in place.
According to him, Nigeria must also ensure that the ports work 24/7 by installing CCTV cameras and illuminating every nook and cranny of the ports.
He pointed out that this will enable Nigeria to be among the countries where cargo delivery time is predictable.
“Also, we need the shipping lines and the terminal operators and security agencies to be on their toes for 24 hours. We are working out modalities for the implementation of 24-hour port operation,” he said.
On his part, another clearing agent, Chukwuma Onyeka, said that round-the-clock port operation will help to decongest the ports.
“It will enable shipping companies to improve turnaround time because the port business will continue all through day and night, thereby improving vessel turnaround time and resulting in reduced cost of doing business at the ports,” he added.
Viability Of Eastern Seaports For Efficiency
Nigeria’s over-dependence on Lagos ports has brought untold hardship on shippers, importers, and other key stakeholders.
According to available data, it takes an average of 14 days to complete cargo clearance at both Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, as against the global standard average of 48 hours (2 days).
Also, divergent figures have shown that Nigeria loses an average of $14 billion annually due to port congestion, hence the need to develop and increase the cargo handling capacity of the eastern ports.
To achieve this on the eastern corridor, there should be a massive expansion of port infrastructure and vessel handling capacity because upgrading the cargo handling capacity of the Calabar, Port-Harcourt, and Warri ports with modern infrastructural, technological, and manpower requirements means that the hugely encumbered Lagos ports will undoubtedly witness unprecedented decongestion, efficiency, and orderliness.
This is also expected to improve Nigeria’s ranking on World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, make our ports more globally competitive, promote the ease of doing business across the nation, improve general export activities increase government revenue by more than $14 billion annually.
According to the Nigerian Institute of Shipping, a viable eastern port will promote massive improvement in shipping and cargo operations. “viable eastern ports will promote massive improvement in shipping and cargo operations in the Calabar, Old Port-Harcourt, and Warri Ports and by implication, shippers in the Middle Belt, Northeast, Southeast, and South-South region may never need to consign their cargo to Lagos but will gladly explore available options like Warri, Calabar, and a massively improved port-Harcourt/Onne ports to choose from.”
“Also, it will make great economic sense to develop more inland dry ports across all regions, connect more rail lines, in addition to drastic improvement of the federal road routes to these ports. This will facilitate a more efficient evacuation of cargo. However, efficiency in the cargo clearance process can also depend on the deployment of a limited number of port agencies.
“There are several agencies (about 14 of them), with duplicated functions, causing delays in the cargo clearance process due to multiple physical examinations. This concern needs to be addressed to enhance efficiency in the ports’ operations,” the institute stated.
Decongesting The Apapa, Tin-Can Island Ports
Although Nigeria has six major seaports, only two are in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city and commercial hub. Between the two, they handle more than 80% of the country’s imports, leading to major congestion. Stakeholders have, however, called for improved investment in other ports in other to decongestion the Lagos Ports.
They explained that the benefits of opening the Eastern ports in other to decongest the Lagos Ports cannot be quantified with the fingers of one hand. “The economic activities in the Eastern ports and revenue will be on the rise. Employment opportunities will be readily available. The haulage of cargoes from the Lagos port to the eastern part of Nigeria and its environs will no more be necessary,” Onyeka Nnadi, a clearing agent at Onne port added.
Nnadi added that the ports of Warri in Delta State and that of Calabar in Cross River State, are believed to bring relief to congestion of Lagos Port if they are made efficient. “It will also make for even distribution of maritime trade among cities where ports are domiciled while opening the economy to fresh business opportunities,” Nnadi said
The paramount ruler of Isiama kingdom of Isiala-Mbano LGA, Imo State, Dr Oliver Ohanweh, stressed that the solution to the issue of congestion of Lagos ports lies in the dredging of the Oguta-Orashi River.
He noted that the about 18 nautical miles distance of Urashi to the Atlantic Ocean cannot be compared to Lagos Port of 50 nautical miles and Port Harcourt’s 60 NM which were all dredged to make for navigation. Ohanweh, decried the suffering of many Nigerians which he said could be reduced when a sea or river port becomes operational in the south-East, while calling for the realisation of the Orashi- Oguta seaport dream.