PEBEC, NPA move to enforce 7-day cargo dwell time at Nigerian ports

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has concluded a three-day stakeholder engagement in Lagos aimed at enforcing a seven-day cargo dwell time at the nation’s seaports.

The engagement, themed “Achieving a 7-Day Cargo Dwell Time,” brought together members of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee under the Business Environment Enhancement Programme Accelerator (BEEPA) framework.

Hosted by the NPA, the session focused on streamlining port processes and eliminating operational bottlenecks to improve the ease of doing business, according to a statement issued by the authority on Sunday.

According to a statement by the council on Monday, the engagement held at the Lagos Port Complex in Apapa followed a “shadowing” exercise in which officials observed real-time vessel berthing, cargo handling and clearance operations at the Tin Can Island and Lagos Port complexes.

The exercise was designed to provide first-hand insight into procedural delays across the cargo clearance value chain.

Speaking at the event, Zahrah Mustapha, Director-General, PEBEC, said the initiative was deliberately structured to move beyond problem identification to the implementation of long-delayed solutions. She noted that the engagement brought together government regulators and private sector operators to promote transparency, collaboration and accountability in port operations.

According to Mustapha, reducing cargo dwell time and improving vessel turnaround time are critical to lowering the cost of doing business and enhancing Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.

Earlier, Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the NPA, reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to supporting PEBEC’s reform mandates.

He disclosed that the NPA was working with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to deploy the Port Community System, which is expected to serve as the digital backbone for the National Single Window.

Dantsoho said the system would eliminate manual bottlenecks, harmonise documentation processes and synchronise the activities of all port stakeholders, thereby improving efficiency and transparency across port operations.

The NPA recently recorded a 100 per cent success rate in PEBEC reforms, ranking fifth among federal agencies in 2025 with an 84.2 per cent compliance rating.

The statement added that outcomes from the stakeholder engagement are expected to be implemented in the coming months as the NPA and PEBEC work to close operational gaps identified during port inspections. The reforms are aimed at creating a more competitive maritime environment capable of attracting investment and facilitating trade.

The engagement forms part of the 90-day Business Environment Enhancement Programme Accelerator (BEEPA), launched by PEBEC to address issues highlighted in the Business Facilitation Act Compliance Report published by the council in November 2025.