MANY export containers are being abandoned inside the Lagos Port Complex because many of the export boxes find their way into the port without going through the right procedure, Nigerian Tribune findings have revealed.
Recall that the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), while on a regulatory visit to the Apapa Port, discovered that about 616 export boxes have remained inside the port for close to three years.
Checks by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that despite regulatory procedure put in place by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for export boxes to come into the port, many exporters bypass this procedure and bring in their export boxes into the port.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, a port worker, who wouldn’t want to be quoted as he has not been given the authority to speak on the matter, explained that, “Many export boxes find their way to the port without going through the necessary channel.
“The NPA has a procedure which guides the way export containers are moved into the ports. In November 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the NPA, licensed five Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) across the country to begin the operation of handling and processing export cargoes.
“The five Export Processing Terminals licensed are Diamondstar Port & Terminals Ltd, Ijora; Esslibra Terminal, Ikorodu; Sundial Global Trade & Service Ltd, Kirikiri; Bellington Cargo Ltd, Okokomaiko; and Tenzik Energy Ltd., Kirikiri Lighter Terminal.
“The EPTs are to serve as a pre-gate, especially for Agro-exports, by sorting, processing, sealing, and certifying exports arriving at the port terminals. The EPTs were also established to address quality concerns over Nigeria’s export through the timely processing of export and onward delivery to the port.
“However, not all export boxes go through the EPT’s before coming to the port. Most of the export boxes abandoned inside the ports did not go through the EPT’s and were flagged by different government agencies for lacking the required approvals, and that’s why many of them have remained inside the port for more than two years.
“It is important that export containers go through the necessary routes before coming into the port. Due to different issues on these export boxes, they have remained inside the ports for more than 1000 days and their contents, mostly agricultural produce, would have lost value due to the long standing.”
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