The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has expressed the desire of landlocked countries such as Mali, Chad and Niger Republic to route transit cargoes destined for their various countries through the Lekki Deep Seaport.
This was disclosed by the Authority’s managing director, Mohammed Bello-Koko, in a chat with journalists over the weekend.
He said, “Niger Republic as a country formerly imports their cargoes through NIgeria ports. Mali is also interested and there are entities of in neighboring countries that are interested in bringing in their cargoes, but ours is to reach out as far as possible. As soon as one landlocked country routes it’s cargoes through Nigerian ports, others countries too will follow.”
The NPA boss, however, disclosed that the marine equipment needed to start operation are already at the port.
He stated that when the port begins full operation, it will also reduce congestion at the Tin-Can Island and Apapa port.
“Lekki deep seaport will start full operation before year end and we believe that it will go ahead to reduce congestion at Apapa and Tin can. The port will receive bigger vessels that we have never used before and we will start getting back some of the businesses that we have been losing to neighboring countries.
“As soon as they start operation, the clearing procedures will be faster. Also, we are working with the port, in conjunction with, Shipper’s Council to determine what the tariff will be on transit cargoes. Nigeria used to have a lot of transit cargoes but at a point, it becomes impossible to clear and with so many checkpoints along the borders but we are working with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and Customs to also determine the tariffs for transhipment cargoes.
“That is the business that Nigeria has lost overtime and the transhipment cargoes can either be by sea or by roads to other countries that was why the President gave instructions to connect the Lekki Deep Seaport to Lagos-Ibadan standard guage to ease movement of cargoes and it is when you are able to move cargo from the sea to the hinterland that you will be able to get landlocked countries to route their cargoes through your port,” he said.
