The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has stopped terminal operators from imposing charges on export boxes or cargoes arriving at the terminal for loading.
According to the NPA, export cargo can only be made to pay charges only if requested explicitly by Customs or other government agencies in which case appropriate and verifiable documentation shall be provided by terminal operators.
In a recent tweet on its Twitter handle @nigerianports, NPA said the move was in compliance with Executive Order 001 as it relates to the Authority’s creation of export terminals within the ports.
Mohammed Bello-Koko, the managing director of the NPA, briefed terminal operators and shipping companies on the take-off of the Export Processing Terminals (EPTs).
Bello-Koko listed the charges that can only be collected by Export Processing Terminals including cargo examination charge, Weigh Bridge/ VGM charge, stuffing charge, storage charge, and extra service charge when applicable.
“In order to ensure that the operation of Export Processing Terminals does not conflict with existing service lines of terminal operators and shipping companies, the Authority outlined the charges that will henceforth take place at the EPTs.
The Authority said it’s at an advanced stage of integrating the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Export Proceeds Form (NXP) to the Eto electronic call-up system requirements to eliminate the ability of shipping lines to deliver export boxes to terminals without concluding the NXP requirements, thus dumping such boxes at terminals with its associated challenges.
Recall that the NPA recently licensed five private sector firms to run terminals solely dedicated to processing export containers bound for ports in Lagos, Apapa, and Tin-Can Island.
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The terminals are certified as pre-gates for all exports where export goods will be sorted, inspected, certified, sealed, and escorted by Customs to the port. When the goods get to the ports, they would no longer be examined by Customs.
BusinessDay understands that the terminals are expected to support the NPA’s efforts in creating the enabling environment that will scale up Nigeria’s export development initiative, while the new directive on charges not only helps to harmonise the charges paid by the exporters but also helps to avert duplication of charges.
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