Apapa Port cargo exports by rail hits 10,000 H1 – Official

• Published On: 15 August 2024 at 17:41

The Nigerian Ports Authority has stated that the number of rail cargo shipments has increased from 9,000 in 2023 to 10,000 in the first six months of this year.

According to The Punch, Charles Okaga, Port Manager of NPA's Lagos Ports Complex, disclosed this at a recent stakeholders' roundtable hosted by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria in Apapa, Lagos.

Okaga stated that NPA now completes its shipping documentation online, reducing the time it takes to process documents from approximately two weeks to under two hours.

"Railway cargo movement has also improved; last year, we had about 9,000 moves, and in the first half of this year, we had over 10,000 rail moves. The Nigerian Port Authority's shipping documentation is now completed online, reducing document processing time from approximately two weeks to less than two hours, assuming everything is in order," he stated.

He praised the Nigeria Customs Service's efforts to ensure that export cargoes have easy access to the port, and stated that customs resident commands in the ports have been instructed not to interfere with exports once they have been cleared and released.

"We are proud to report that exports increased significantly between 2022 and 2024. For the first time in a long time, we have a positive trade balance in terms of exports," he added.

Okaga stated that stakeholders have been given assistance to ensure the clearing of port access roads.

"This time last year, we had an average of 40 to 50 container trucks arriving at the port by road. Today, we have days with up to 122 trucks transporting approximately 240 boxes into the port. This represents a step forward.

"Our export has increased, using 2022 as a baseline; our export value in 2024 was projected to be 15% higher than in 2022 and 15% higher than in 2023. This suggests that policies to ensure smooth export movement are effective," he stated.

The port manager also stated that, despite the fact that the port was open 24 hours a day, they were still experiencing issues with the port's infrastructure, particularly the roads, which were in poor condition.

Mr Abayomi Duyile of the Tincan Island Chapter of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents commented that the rise indicated an increase in import shipments to the country's north.

He emphasized the importance of properly developing rail freight movement, noting that doing so would make it easier and faster to deliver cargo to the owners' warehouses.

"If the parties in the north that use rail, if the volume of imports in the north that use rail has increased, this will also result in an increase. There is no rail traffic; once you leave Lagos, you know what time those cargoes are expected to arrive at their final destination," he explained.

Duyile emphasized that transporting cargo by rail would also result in lower operating costs.