Following the inability of the Federal Government to implement efficient ease of doing business policy, Nigeria has lost about N57.6 trillion to lack of 24-hour port operations. This was even as insecurity, obsolete infrastructure and others have chased potential investors away from the nation’s ports to the negbouring ports.
In May 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo signed an executive order directing resumption of 24-hour operations at the Apapa Port and prohibiting touting in all seaports. Since then, the 24-hour port operations still remains a mirage, which cost economy loss of N800 billion monthly, according to shippers associations.
Due to the huge economic losses, heads of Federal Government agencies in the maritime sector have resolved to implement actionable plans towards a 24 hours port operations. The agencies, which include Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), disclosed this at the second meeting of all the heads of maritime parastatals in the country.
They believed that port efficiency and effectiveness cannot be achieved without integration and synergy of stakeholders in the maritime sector. However, their efforts have yet to have any meaningful result as when the 24-hour port operations will take off at the port.
Speaking with Daily Sun, an academia and a shipper, Mr. Haruna Onabanjo said that since that 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo signed that executive order, Nigerian port loses nothing less than N800 billion monthly, which is an average of about N200 billion weekly.
“Since 2017 to 2021, our dear nation lost nothing less than N57.6 trillion if my calculations are right. Now, if we times N9.6 trillion by five years, that is about N57.6 trillion. That is exact amount of money we have lost so far in the last five years due to absence of 24-hour port operations.
He said the reason the 24-hour ports operation was not successful was due to challenges of non-availability of some key government officials to effectively carry out their duties and responsibilities, and the fact that stakeholders did not work for 24 hours for security reasons.
“I will tell you for free, foreign investors are not abandoning our port for our neigbour ports due to insecurity and obsolete infrastructure such as bad road, rail connectivity and lighting among others. Everybody are scared of their lives. Nobody can work 24 hours in an environment where security is not secured and guaranteed.
“The Lagos ports have witnessed a spate of robbery attacks in recent times. Some port users have been attacked and robbed off their valuables. The Apapa-Oshodi expressway has become a home for all sort of criminals. Robbery and other crimes have being carried out on that road almost everyday. This is no longer new because it is what everybody knows. Nobody is save on that road,” he said.
He suggested that the government should step up security in the various seaports to encourage 24-hour operation.
Meanwhile, former member Presidential Taskforce on the Reform of Nigeria Customs Service; Presidential Committee on Destination Inspection and Ministerial Committee on Fiscal Policy and Import Clearance Procedure, Lucky Eyis Amiwero said one of reasons Nigeria cannot operates 24-hour port operations is insecurity. Not that the port cannot operate 24 hours.
“Another thing is light. The port suppose to have special electricity system but unfortunately, they still focus on the national grid. It is only people who have generators can try to operate 24 hours but who would like to buy diesel at N800/900 per litre and all the rest. So it is quite expensive to run port operation.
“We have so many agencies involve in port operations, it is not only Nigerian Ports Authority and Customs that involve in port operations. We have agents, shipping companies, other people groups, the banks and all the rest. So all these people have to be involve in port operations. How do you bring the bank? Will the bank operate 24 hours. You have to go through the banks to do various payments,” he said.
He said for the banks and other agencies to involve in 24 hours port operations, there is need for concerted efforts from everybody to have relevant 24 hours port operations.
Deputy National President, Air Logistics, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) said that let it be on records, Nigeria had 24-hour port operations before in the country.
He said clearing of cargo for 24 hours is not a new thing in the Nigeria, adding that the present challenges confronting 24-hour port operations now is the bad roads insecurity because clearing cargo in the early hours between 2am and 4am could be challenging due to insecurity.
He said for 24-hour port operations to take off, there is need for provision of enabling environment that will enhance adequate insecurity as well as good roads for the vehicles existing the port to move safely to their final destinations.