NPA

Lagos, July 25, 2023: The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has raised the alarm on increasing extortion along the access roads of the Lagos and Tin Can Island Port Complexes.

Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, Managing Director, NPA, said this in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.

According to Bello-Koko, this is coming on the heels of the clearance operations the authority undertook from July 16 to 18, to rid the port corridor of shanties and illegal erections.

He added that those shanties and illegal erections harboured criminal elements who perpetrated acts of extortion.

“On the eve of the port corridor clearance operations carried out in collaboration with Lagos State Government earlier this month, I lamented that “these acts of extortion and allied illegalities are injurious to trade facilitation, which is our core function.

“We cannot allow these nefarious characters make nonsense of the gateways to the national economy which the ports constitute,” he said.

Bello-Koko added that they had in the past, visited punitive measures on their staff who were complicit in such unethical practices.

“I want to reiterate that once we are confronted with evidence of any of our staff involved in these acts of sabotage, we will sanction them in line with the public service rules.

“Our condition of service has zero tolerance for such malfeasance,” he said.

Bello-Koko said that whilst receiving the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Idowu Owohunwa earlier this month, we enlisted the support of the police in tackling the extortion menace.

He added that he had specifically cited that “the jurisdictional rule that restricts the powers of the Port Authority Police Command (PAPC) to the Port premises, was the reason they are calling for increased synergy between PAPC and officers of the Lagos State Police Command.

The NPA boss had earlier met with the leadership at various levels of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), stressing on the pressing need to collectively nip the menace of extortion in the bud.

NPA under Bello-Koko had completed the perimeter fencing of the Tincan Island Port to curb unauthorised access to the port premises.

However, the sanity achieved by this measure is localised within the port, whilst majority of these illegalities happen along the port access road which is not within the NPA’s purview.

The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) had in March, published a video footage showing the assault those extortionists visited on trucks inbound and outbound the port corridor.

The authority’s fact finding has identified flash points of extortion ranging from N500 to as high as N5,000 and the mode of perpetration.

The authority solicits the collaboration of sister government agencies operating on the port corridor to sustainably tackle the menace impeding ease of doing business around the ports.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has commended the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) for  support in ensuring salaries of NPA members of staff were increased.

The Managing Director, NPA, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday,  noted that the  salary of workers  had  been stagnated since 2008.

Bello-Koko  stated this when he received a   letter referenced MWUN/MD/NPA/RFC/23,  dated March 6, signed by the Secretary General MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju,  expressing appreciation to  management of the authority for the increment in the salary of its members.

The NPA boss said that breaking the jinx of salary stagnation suffered over a decade by the authority’s employees was made possible by  the support of the MWUN.

He noted that the authority remained appreciative of the support by the union.

“This critical support from MWUN has buoyed us to intensify our relentless drive toward continuous improvement in the welfare of our esteemed workers in ways not limited to monthly salary alone.

“We are further delighted by the fact that our own Adeyanju is now the Deputy President of the NLC.

“This gives us the necessary solidarity and backing to push for more benefits for our highly valued human resources,” he said.

It would be recalled that the NPA managing director had in November 2022,  been accompanied by Adeyanju to pay an advocacy visit to the  headquarters of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to solicit the union’s  solidarity toward increase in NPA workers’ salaries.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has presented operational licenses to five Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) to support ongoing efforts to create enabling environment that would scale-up export development in the country.

The five export processing terminals licensed are Diamondstar Port and Terminal Ltd., at Lilypond Terminal;  Ijora, Esslibra Terminal at Ikorodu and Sundial Global Ltd., Navy Camp site, Kirikiri.

Others are Bellington Cargo Ltd., Okokomaiko, Lagos -Badagry Expressway and Tenzik Energy Ltd, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal 1.

Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, Managing Director, NPA, during the presentation noted that this was a testament of the authorities’ unflinching resolve to transform Nigeria’s export potentials into actualities.

Bello-Koko represented by Mr Onari Brown, Executive Director, Marine and Operations, added that the authority had used this project to encourage local content in the export value chain.

He said that they would offer all support, policy wise to ensure the growth and stability of the terminals.

“The need for EPTs is underscored by the limitations of current port facilities in the Lagos area which are operating beyond their ‘as built capacity’ for cargo handling.

“The EPTs are, therefore, holding areas positioned in Lagos and Ogun States to help exporters prepare their arrival at port terminals in-view of the traffic management challenges that are visible in Lagos.

“This initiative signposts the NPA’s commitment to implementation of the National Action Plan on Agro-Export and the Federal Government of Nigeria desire to diversify the national economy from oil export to non-oil exports,” he said.

He said that the procedure for licensing which commenced in April 2021 had 30 companies expressing interest and later streamlined to 10, of which five met the authorities stringent conditions to join the Lilypond Export Processing Terminal.

He said the remaining six, who hold provisional licenses would unfortunately be dropped at the end of this month if they fail to meet standard to allow us consider other applicants on the waiting list.

He said that the integration of the barge and train movements would complete the circle and they look forward to work in collaboration with Nigerian Customs to achieve this.

Bello-Koko said that NPA was not unaware of the existence of export warehouses handling manufactured products.

He said they were working with the Export Command of the Nigerian Custom Service to bring up seamless modalities that would govern this aspect of the project.

“May I emphasize that movement of Agro Export boxes arriving the ports from Lagos and Ogun states shall only be allowed into the ports from any of these five Export Processing Terminals.

“For export containers arriving from the Domestic Export Warehouses (DEWs) located across the country, the authority is committed to receiving them subject to compliance with the traffic management put in place by the Lagos State Government in collaboration with the NPA,” he said.

The NPA boss noted the partnership with Lagos State Government was very effective in taming the traffic gridlock.

“We are desirous of ensuring the export boxes which represents important deliverable for us and the Federal Government work in sync with the structure for the mutual benefit of the state, national economy and Nigerian export community,” he said.

Also, Mr Mohammed Babandede, Comptroller Lilypond Export Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) noted that the only way the country would grow was through the promotion of export.

According to him, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) has given the approval to ensure that the five export terminals approved by NPA gets seamless trade.

“Anything that has to do with export, please don’t hesitate to come to our command to assist you.

“With the approval given by NPA, all export going out of the country should emanate from these five terminal and the additional 13 domestic export warehouses approved in the country.

“These are where customs officers can examine the export containers,” he said.

Responding, the export terminal operators appreciated the NPA for the license given, adding that this was a step to making Nigeria becoming a high volume non-oil exporter in the world.

They pointed out that their target was to bring ease to export business and address the huge imbalance in trade.

They promised that their service would be optimal and goods would be handled with utmost professionalism.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), on Tuesday, inaugurated the first export processing terminal, Diamond Star Export Processing Terminal in Lagos.

The Diamond Star Export Processing Terminal, situated at Lilypond in Ijora, would ensure speedy and seamless processing of export cargoes accessing Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports in Lagos.

The terminal would also serve as a pre-gate from where export goods would move directly into the port.

Speaking at the commissioning of the terminal, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, Managing Director, NPA noted that the terminal would help to reduce wastages.

He added that it would also reduce the rejection of Nigerian export goods, and the time wasted before exports gain access to the port.

According to Bello-Koko, there have been several cases of rejection of export originating from Nigeria, which could be attributed to time wastages and spending longer time at the port, but the terminal will ensure speedy processing of exports.

The NPA boss said the initiative was in line with the NPA’s commitment to the implementation of the National Action Plan on agro-export and the Federal Government’s desire to diversify the national economy from oil to non-oil export.

He noted that the NPA was also working to integrate the Central Bank of Nigeria’s NXP (Nigeria Export Proceed Form) into the electronic call-up regime.

“The need for Export Processing Terminals is underscored by the limitations of current port facilities in the Lagos area which are operating beyond their built capacity for cargo handling.

“The export terminals will serve as holding areas positioned in Lagos and Ogun States, and it will help exporters prepare their arrival at port terminals in view of the traffic management challenges that are visible in Lagos,” he said.

He pointed out that the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) had served as the technical partner of the NPA through the journey of setting up the terminals.

Bello-Koko, however, applauded the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), for creating an export command, noting that the authority would work with the Customs’ export command to bring up seamless modalities that would govern export trade.

“We are also working to integrate barge and train movements to complete the circle in collaboration with Nigerian Customs.

“The movement of export boxes from the Lilypond Export Terminal shall be directly through Warehouse Road to cut down on time for arrival at the port.

“Similarly, movement of export boxes to Tin-Can Island Port shall be from the DiamondStar consolidation point at Emmadunamix Terminal in Okota,” he said.

Also, Mr Ezra Yakusak, the Executive Director of the NEPC, represented by Mr Haruna Ali, said the terminal would help to create more room to increase the volume of non-oil export in Nigeria.

Mrs Adeyanju Aremu, the Assistant Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Zone A, said the service had developed Standard Operating Procedure in line with global standards to remove impediments along the export value chain.

Aremu however, urged the users of the port to take advantage of Customs’ commitment to the facilitation of legitimate trade to excel in their business and put Nigeria on the global map of top non-oil exporters.

“We are confident this terminal will serve the purpose for which it was established as the initiative is quite apt and coming at a time the country really needs a paradigm shift.

“Nigeria is no doubt blessed with enormous natural agro-based resources which if well harnessed can lead to accelerated growth in our Gross Domestic Product,” she said.

She, however, advised exporters of agro-based products to adhere to both regional and international market standards to enable them to compete favourably in the international market.

Mr Olatunji Baale, Managing Director of Diamond Star Port and Terminals Limited, said the company had the capability and competence to render prompt services to exporters and other stakeholders in the value chain.

Baale noted that there would be seamless delivery of export boxes, and the terminal was a one-stop-shop that houses all the government agencies in the export value chain.

Baale said that the terminal could handle about 50,000 boxes of export containers on a weekly basis, and would help to grow Nigeria’s export trade by reducing the trade imbalance.

Organised Private Sector ((OPS) stakeholders have called on the federal government to address crude oil theft and other macroeconomic fundamentals to navigate the Nigerian economy to the path of growth.

The stakeholders gave the advice at the third quarter council meeting of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) on Wednesday in Lagos.

Dr Michael Olawale-Cole, President, LCCI, said the event was crucial to review major economic developments and communicate the chambers’ position to the wider business community and government for a thriving private sector.

The LCCI President said the menace of oil theft had become a national disaster and a critical threat to the nation’s revenue base.

According to him, Nigeria is losing crude oil at the level of about 91 per cent of output as the country lost $3.2 billion in crude oil theft between January 2021 and February 2022.

“The twin factor of fuel subsidy payments and crude oil theft have combined to deny Nigeria the gains of the high crude oil price on the international market,” he said.

Olawale-Cole noted that the country’s total public debt stock rose from N39.56 trillion in December 2021 to N41.60 trillion (about $100.07 billion) by the end of the second quarter of 2022, as revealed by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

He added that Nigeria’s debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio currently stood at 23.27 per cent, against 22.43 per cent on December 31, 2021.

He said the development had already resulted in concerns that most, if not all, of the assumptions in the Medium-Term Expenditure framework (MTEF) 2023-2025 would be missed.

This, he explained, was as the country continued to experience unprecedented levels of disruptions to supply chains and agricultural production.

“In the face of rising debt servicing costs accompanied by a dwindling revenue, the provision of critical infrastructure and amenities like healthcare services, education, power, roads, and security will be hard hit as funding shrinks,” he said.

Olawale-Cole also urged monetary authorities to liberalise the foreign exchange market by unifying the multiple rates and ensuring that rates were market-driven to enhance stability, liquidity, and transparency in the foreign exchange market.

“The unification is expected to improve our currency management framework, given that the multiple exchange rate systems have continued to create uncertainties and sources of arbitrage,” he said.

He also appealed to the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to come to an agreement as soon as possible to end the ongoing industrial action.

“We cannot look to half-baked graduates to build a prosperous economy.

“Nigeria must begin to pay more attention to improving its latest Human Development Index (HDI) which stood at 161 out of 189 countries,” he said.

Olawale-Cole expressed concern about the worsening insecurity profile of the country saying it posed an apparent threat to the forthcoming general elections in 2023 and, by extension, a threat to democratic governance.

He stated that in the absence of peace and security, it would be challenging to hold credible, free, and fair elections that would reflect the choices of the electorates in choosing those that should lead them.

“We need to address the root causes of youth unemployment, drug abuse, uncontrolled small arms, and unmanned borders through which foreigners infiltrate our territories.

“We also need to boost security enforcement through frequent recruitments into the security agencies and well supported with modern weaponry and deployment of warfare technology.

“Community policing and intelligence gathering need to be officially endorsed and systematically managed,” he said.

In his remarks, Ude John Udeagbala, President, NACCIMA, lauded the Lagos state government for its efforts in supporting the private sector and accommodating its needs under the THEMES agenda.

He charged members of the private sector to engage politicians and political parties in discourse to know their plans for the private sector, as the electioneering year approached.

“This would further help convey our plights to the incoming governments,” he said.

Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mrs Folasade Jaji, said the Lagos would continue to leverage recommendations from the private sector to discern challenges affecting it.

Jaji, represented by Mrs Olabisi Shonibare, Director, Political Affairs, charged the sector to engage best practices in trade, investments and commerce to solidify the state as the best investment destination.

“On our part, we would continue to promote more friendly environment for enterprises and provide workable solution to all the challenges,” she said.

The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, says the authority is addressing bottlenecks affecting export in the country.

Bello-Koko made this known at the 2022 Zenith Bank International Trade Seminar on non-oil export on Wednesday in Lagos.

The seminar had the theme: “Unlocking Opportunities in Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Business.”

Bello-Koko said that there should be proper synergy between vessels that come into the country as well records of the ones that leave the ports.

He said the authority had deployed truck electronic call-up system to ease movement of cargoes into the port.

 Bello-Koko added that the NPA had created pregates where trucks would park before entering the port.

“We are working with the government to ensure diversification of the economy and we are encouraging non-oil export.

“Also, not just about deploying e-call-up system, we have licensed 10 export processing terminals.

“The terminals are supposed to be at locations whereby one stalk, process, package, certify, seal and send it directly to the port.

“But for it to succeed, we need other government agencies. We need to understand that the port is a maritime ecosystem not just for the NPA but other government agencies.

“And so for the export processing terminals that were created, we expect the Nigeria Customs Service and Standards Organisation of Nigeria to have export desk there for certification,” he said.

The NPA boss noted that three out of the 10 export processing terminals would come on stream shortly.

Bello-Koko noted that barges were also introduced at a cost borne by the exporters thereby making export more expensive.

He explained that the export terminal would reduce the burden in future.

He also called for the introduction of a National Single Window to ease movement of cargoes in the country.

“Automation is key to reducing congestion and will ensure quick processing of export and import documentations.

“In the documentation, whether import or export, all starts with the consignee and the form is Form M and this has to do with port destination, loading and discharging.

“So, there is a need to have one form that serves everybody and that is the National Single Window where all transactions will be done, even payment.

“One bulk payment can be made and everybody is paid separately at the same time. This is obtainable in other neighbouring African countries and I believe we can do so here,” he said.

Also, Mr Godwin Emefiele, Governor, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), noted that they had introduced various initiatives and interventions that would harness the opportunities in the non-oil sector to create wealth for the country.

Emefiele added that the apex bank introduced rebate facilities to encourage exporters, bridged gaps by providing funding for capital expenditure.

“We have the N500 billion non-oil stimulation facilitation, Commercial Agricultural Scheme Act for agricultural commodity and many others,” he said.

He added that Nigeria should look inwards for economic growth and development.

Earlier, Mr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank, in his welcome address, noted that opportunities in the non-oil export was expansive and inclusive with huge value chain.

Onyeagwu noted that the company was using the seminar to create an awareness to rejuvenate the country’s foreign earnings.

He said that since the inception of the seminar in 2016, they had achieved numerous results such as: changes in policy implementation, transparent record keeping and enhanced funding, among others.