Shipper’s Council advocates reduction in cargo dwell-time, vessel turnaround at ports

By Steve Agbota

The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Dr. Pius Akutah on Wednesday called for improved cargo dwell time and vessel turnaround time at Nigerian ports.

He said the current statistics for both vessel turnaround time and cargo dwell time remain unacceptable.

Akutah, who stated this during the management system retreat held in Lagos, reiterated the Council’s commitment and readiness to work and reduce the cargo dwell time and vessel turnaround time at the nation’s ports to match regional benchmarks.

“Current cargo dwell time and vessel turnaround statistics at our ports remain unacceptable. We must work to ensure that cargo clearing timelines in Nigerian ports are reduced to match regional benchmarks.

“We are in a new era. The Nigerian Shippers’ Council can no longer afford to operate as a process-heavy, paper-driven bureaucracy. We must now define our success not by our activities, but by our outcomes. Not by intentions, but by results.

According to him, the regulatory Services and ICT units are to collaborate with terminal operators and Customs to develop an integrated dashboard that tracks real-time vessel/cargo processing metrics.

He pointed out that the dashboard shall form part of the Council’s monthly performance review with the ES/CEO, saying the days of manual processing must come to an end.

“Our Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system must be fully deployed, with 100% compliance across all departments latest by December 2025. By the end of Q3 2025, all internal memos, approvals, correspondences, and record-keeping must migrate to the ECM platform. Any department that fails to comply will face administrative sanctions.

“The implementation of the Federal Government’s Performance Management System is non-negotiable. Each staff member, from the highest to the most junior, must be assessed against a clearly defined set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

“HRM and SPRD are to finalise and implement individual performance contracts in line with departmental scorecards. Annual promotions, postings, and recognitions will be tied to individual and departmental performance,” he added.

He said infrastructure remains central to the Council’s mandate, adding that projects such as the Jos Inland Dry Port, Gateway IDP (Ogun), Kano Dala IDP, Potiskum VTA, and Border Information Centres must move beyond paperwork and into full execution.

“The Inland Transport Services Department, PPP and relevant zonal coordinators are to provide fortnightly progress reports. The ES/CEO will personally monitor project timelines, budget adherence, and stakeholder engagement,” he said.

He stated that a regulator that is not responsive to its stakeholders loses legitimacy, adding that everybody at the Council must engage constructively, communicate clearly, and act decisively.

“The PR Unit, Consumer Affairs Department, and Strategic Planning Department must institutionalise quarterly stakeholder forums, release public-facing regulatory newsletters, and establish a formal complaint-resolution tracker. No institution is stronger than its people. This administration will prioritise talent development, onboarding, mentorship, and welfare.

“HRM must roll out a structured induction process for all new staff within 30 days of employment. Additionally, the Council will institutionalise a Leadership and Innovation Development Series for senior officers, starting from Q3 2025.

“We must now move from good intentions to disciplined execution. From this retreat, I expect that every Director, Deputy Director, and Unit Head will return with a clear action plan, a revised mindset, and a renewed sense of urgency.

However, Akutah commended President Bola Tinubu’s “bold and reform-oriented leadership” and the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which he hailed as a catalyst for transforming Nigeria’s ocean economy.

He also lauded the leadership of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for galvanising institutions within the sector, including the NSC, towards innovation and measurable impact.

“The Federal Government, through its National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, has placed performance at the centre of national development. It is a call for institutions like ours to show leadership in facilitating trade, improving port efficiency, strengthening inter-agency coordination, accelerating port infrastructure delivery, enhancing stakeholder confidence, and mainstreaming sustainability across the logistics value chain

“The Strategic Plan (2025–2029) developed by the Council, and the retreat that convenes us here today, reflect our response to that call. I wish to now outline our strategic imperatives and issue clear policy directives to guide implementation over the next five years.

“The Council must serve as both a policy anchor and delivery vehicle in support of the Ministry’s goals. Our mandates align with the policy’s strategic thrusts, including trade logistics, cargo management, and port infrastructure development.

“All departments, particularly Legal Services, Strategic Planning, and Research, Regulatory Services, Consumer Affairs, Inland Transport Services, and Zonal Coordinators, are to align annual workplans with relevant components of the national policy. Quarterly reports evidencing this alignment shall henceforth be submitted to the ES/CEO’s Office and transmitted to the Ministry,” he said

Speaking earlier, the NSC Director, Strategic Planning and Research Department, Mr. Rotimi Anifowoshe explained that the management system retreat will witness the validation of the Council’s recently concluded strategic planning session, and the signing of the performance bond between the Executive Secretary and the Heads of Departments and Units.

“Our recent strategic planning session was not merely a routine exercise. It was a participatory and reflective engagement designed to realign our institutional vision, mission, and goals, especially with the current transitional period and future expectations.

“The insights, ideas, and recommendations gathered during that session have been meticulously documented in the draft report, which we are here today to validate,” Mr. Anifowoshe stated.