Why Nigerian Ports are yet to achieve hub status – Operators

Some terminal operators on Thursday identified shallow draft, decayed infrastructure and corruption as reasons why Nigerian ports have not become preferred destination in West African sub-region.

The terminal operators spoke in Lagos at a seminar organised by the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN).

The theme of the seminar was “Making Nigerian Ports the Preferred Destination in West and Central African Sub-Region’’.

Dr Taiwo Afolabi, Executive Vice-chairman, Sifax Group, said that for Nigerian ports to grow to become more attractive, they must deploy ICT to reduce human contact.

Afolabi, represented by his General Manager, Henry Ajetunmobi, said that there was an urgent need for the country to widen all modes of cargo evacuation from the ports to increase speed.

He said: “For Nigeria to be a preferred destination in West and Central African sub-region, there is need for government to sustain progress recorded in the development of deep seaport in Nigeria.

“There is need to improve the cargo handling equipment in our terminals. We must institute port tariff regime that is customer-friendly and competitive.’’

He decried high level of piracy and sea robbery on Nigerian territorial waters and multiplicity of government agencies at the ports.

“High level of corruption, low level of automation of service delivery in the Nigerian port has led to high cost of doing business in the ports which has also led to the closure of companies in the country,” he said.

Also speaking, the National Publicity Secretary of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr Kayode Farinto, condemned the incessant interception of released containers by some operatives.

According to him, officers of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Nigeria Police Force are in the habit of intercepting containers already released by customs. (NAN)