For export containers bound for Apapa, and Tin-Can Island Ports in Lagos to be allowed into the port, they must come from one of the five export processing terminals in Lagos, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has said.
The five terminals include Diamondstar Port & Terminals Ltd in Ijora, Esslibra Terminal in Ikorodu, Sundial Global Trade & Service Ltd in Kirikiri, Bellington Cargo Ltd in Okokomaiko, and Tenzik Energy Ltd in Kirikiri Lighter Terminal 1.
These terminals were given operating licenses on Thursday in Lagos to run terminals solely dedicated to processing export containers that are bound for Apapa, and Tin-Can Island Ports.
Presenting the operating license to the five terminal operators in Lagos on Thursday, Mohammed Bello-Koko, the managing director of the NPA, told the terminals to support the NPA’s efforts in creating the enabling environment that will scale up Nigeria’s export development initiative.
According to him, the terminals are certified as pre-gates where export goods will be sorted, inspected, certified, sealed, and escorted by Customs to the port, and the goods would no longer be examined by Customs at the port.
He said the procedure for licensing the terminals commenced in April 2021 with a public notice for an expression of interest from firms willing to site export terminals in Lagos.
He said that about 30 companies expressed interest but only 10 companies were granted approval to join the Lilypond Export Processing Terminal after thorough engagement with the inspection committee and the Project Delivery Team.
“Today, only five out of a total of eleven companies have met our stringent conditions and would be granted formal certification. The remaining six who hold provisional licenses would, unfortunately, be dropped at the end of this month if they fail to meet our standard,” Bello-Koko said.
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He said NPA insisted on ensuring that only venture capitalists willing to deploy appropriate resources can make the list, adding that the project is also helping the Authority to encourage local content in the export value chain.
He assured the terminal operators that the NPA will offer all support, particularly in the area of policy to ensure the growth and stability of the terminals.
While acknowledging the existence of export warehouses established by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council that are handling manufactured products, he said the NPA is working with the Export Command of the Nigerian Customs Service to bring up seamless modalities that will govern the terminals.
He said the movement of agro-export boxes to the ports from Lagos and Ogun states shall only be allowed into the ports from any of the five export processing terminals.
“Export containers arriving from the Domestic Export Warehouses 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 added.
Earlier, Mohammed Babandede, Customs area controller, Lilypond Export Command, said promoting export is a potential that has been identified by the government in order to drive FX earnings.
He said the Customs is doing everything possible to promote export by establishing an export command to ensure quick turnaround as Customs is expected to work with other government agencies to jointly inspect containers.
He assured that all the bottlenecks impeding fast shipment of export originating from Nigeria would soon be a thing of the past because Customs has the mandate to ensure the seamless movement of exports.
