FG Moves to Reduce Ports Costs with Single Window, as Dantsoho Assures of Successful Implementation
L-R- Minister for Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Chairman Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Chairman Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Mr. Zacchs Adedeji, Managing Director Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho and Mr. Tola Fakolade, Head National Single Window Secretariat
By Francis Ugwoke
The federal government has said that it is determined to introduce the National Single Window (NSW) in the country in a deliberate move to reduce costs of doing business at the ports.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Gboyega Oyetola, disclosed this on the occasion of the stakeholders’ forum held on the establishment of the National Single Window .
This was as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, assured that with the active support the agency is enjoying from the Minister, Oyetola, NPA is ever committed to the successful deployment of the National Single Window in the country.
Oyetola said that when implemented, the NSW will reduce cost of doing business at the ports at least by 25 percent.
Noting that the World Bank had observed that the cost of doing business at Nigerian ports is about 40 per cent higher than what obtains in other West African countries, the Minister attributed this to delays and administrative bottlenecks.
He said this has led to an estimated annual revenue loss of ₦2.5 trillion in the business community.
According to the Minister, “By streamlining operations, improving transparency, and minimizing delays, the system not only drives cost savings but also strengthens overall trade facilitation. The cumulative impact across all areas, including reduced costs, enhanced efficiency, and greater transparency, ultimately contributes to the overall ease of doing business.”
He described NSW project implementation as a vital initiative to promote trade facilitation, adding that this will no doubt raise awareness and enlighten participants on the benefits of NSW.
He explained that this was as the federal government moves to improve trade efficiency for the collective economic prosperity in the country.
The Minister said, “Today, we convene as partners in progress to explore how the implementation of the National Single Window system can streamline trade facilitation and catalyze the growth of our blue economy.
“The executive decision to implement the National Single Window system alongside the Port Community System (led by the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy through the Nigerian Port Authority) marks a pivotal step in this direction, demonstrating the government’s commitment to modernizing trade processes and maximizing the utilization of our marine resources.
“Nigeria’s marine and blue economy represents an untapped gold mine of opportunities. It encompasses a vast spectrum of activities—from maritime shipping and fisheries to renewable energy and coastal tourism”.
To the Minister, with an expansive coastline of 853 kilometers and a maritime area of over 46,000 square kilometres, the country is positioned to leverage these resources for more sustainable economic growth.
He continued, “The marine and blue economy holds immense potential to contribute significantly to our GDP, create thousands of jobs, and drive regional and global trade”.
The Minister expressed regret that even with immense potential, the marine and blue economy faces challenges, such as inefficiencies in port operations, bureaucratic obstacles, and insufficient coordination with the stakeholders, a development he said has impeded growth.
He disclosed that the federal government is giving priority to multimodal connectivity in order to boost trade and check transportation cost.
The government, he said, is doing this by improving road, rail, and inland waterways links to and from the ports, assuring that these improvements, he said, are have been aimed at reducing costs of transportation.
He further disclosed that the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry in collaboration with the Lagos State Government cleared the Mile 2, Tin Can Port gridlock to improve on landside operations.
He also said that tugboats, mooring boats, pilot cutters, bollards, and fenders across all port locations for effective seaside operations have been provided.
He said, “We maximized crane productivity and ensured a reduced transit time for vessels and trucks. These led to a reduction in both the vessel and truck turn-around times.
“The vessel turn-around-time went down from an average of 7 days to an average of 5 days, while truck turn-around-time went from an average of 10 days to a few hours. But we are not resting on our oars, as our ultimate goal is to make Nigeria the hub of maritime in West Africa,”
Oyetola also said that efforts are on top gear to to rehabilitate existing ports, noting Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports as pilot projects.
He assured that the modernization address the issues of aged facilities which are currently nearing their economic lifespan.
He said, “We are also encouraging private-sector participation in developing green field ports and other infrastructure projects. Additionally, the NPA has acquired two state-of-the-art tugboats to strengthen its fleet, with plans to procure more marine crafts to boost operational efficiency”
He added that the Ministry has begun a strategic plan, and engaged stakeholders to work out modalities, on the best way to start a National Flag Carrier through a Private Public Partnership (PPP), an initiative, he explained is to create employment and reposition the maritime sector.
In his speech on the occasion, the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, while stating the commitment of the agency in NSW, said that all over the world, it connects all stakeholders involved in foreign trade, and enables them to carry out trade procedures on one platform.
He said the platform provides a comprehensive online environment for all governmental and business users, including importers, exporters, commercial banks, carriers, Customs, ministries, and other government agencies to perform trade operations.
Dantsoho also said that NSW remains the global trade best practice for the electronic exchange of information in relation to over 500 million TEU movements and billions of tonnes of cargo.
He said he was pleased as a result of the “concrete move” by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to implement the NSW in Nigeria, describing the move as pivotal to deepening the competitiveness of Nigerian ports and positioning the people to reap greater benefits from global trade.
On the Port Community System (PCS) known as a precursor for Single Window, the NPA MD said, “The purpose of the Port Community System (PCS) is primarily for Nigeria to comply with the dictates of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL), whose main objectives are to prevent unnecessary delays in maritime traffic, to aid cooperation between governments, and to secure the highest practicable degree of uniformity in formalities and other procedures.”
He added, “Furthermore, the Nigerian Ports Authority recognized the importance of Single Window and has planned and implemented its strategy and provided leadership within the Nigerian Ports Community.
“The Authority has taken a very proactive approach to embracing ICT technologies in implementing a number of its internal activities. This is due to the belief that cargo operations in our Ports cannot meet International Standards without the Port Community System.
“The National Single Window is a central piece in the modernization of our trade facilitation, and the Nigerian Ports Authority, under the supervision of His Excellency, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola CON, Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, is fully committed to its successful implementation”.
He pointed out the in recognition of how important single window can be in the nation’s ports operation, his agency earlier enlisted the technical guidance of the IMO for the deployment of the Port Community System (PCS).
Dantoso disclosed that Nigeria was admitted as a member of the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), to join top-class ports in the region, like Tangier Med Port of Morocco, Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast and Benin Republic after fulfilling necessary requirements.
He said that in repositioning Nigerian Ports to ensure regional and continental competitiveness, his agency has been involved in process reengineering,
He explained that this is targeted to be in line with the Authority’s statutory functions having in mind the NSW objectives, and also to ensure parity with regional competitors, “focusing on seamless data availability and enhanced transparency”.
He added, “I would like to emphasize that our mission is to position Nigeria as the trans-shipment hub in West Africa, and with our strategic location, a population of over 200 million people, and a large market, Nigerian Ports have the potential to become the leading trans-shipment hub in the African region.
“We also have the potential to serve as a transit port to land-locked countries, since out of the 44 land-locked countries in the world, 16 are in Africa” .
He expressed regret that this potential is suffering some constraints of infrastructure challenges and competition since neighbouring countries are developing their ports infrastructure.
But he assured that upcoming upcoming port modernization projects are determined to bridge this gap and ensure that Nigerian ports are ever competitive among regional counterparts.
The implementation of the Port Community System, according to the MD, is necessarily complex and one that does not happen quickly.
He added, “Consequently, the Nigerian Ports Authority has been consistent in its efforts since the year 2011 to fully operate the PCS.”
The federal government has said that it is determined to introduce the National Single Window (NSW) in the country in a deliberate move to reduce costs of doing business at the ports.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Gboyega Oyetola, disclosed this on the occasion of the stakeholders’ forum held on the establishment of the National Single Window .
This was as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, assured that with the active support the agency is enjoying from the Minister, Oyetola, NPA is ever committed to the successful deployment of the National Single Window in the country.
Oyetola said that when implemented, the NSW will reduce cost of doing business at the ports at least by 25 percent.
Noting that the World Bank had observed that the cost of doing business at Nigerian ports is about 40 per cent higher than what obtains in other West African countries, the Minister attributed this to delays and administrative bottlenecks.
He said this has led to an estimated annual revenue loss of ₦2.5 trillion in the business community.
According to the Minister, “By streamlining operations, improving transparency, and minimizing delays, the system not only drives cost savings but also strengthens overall trade facilitation. The cumulative impact across all areas, including reduced costs, enhanced efficiency, and greater transparency, ultimately contributes to the overall ease of doing business.”
He described NSW project implementation as a vital initiative to promote trade facilitation, adding that this will no doubt raise awareness and enlighten participants on the benefits of NSW.
He explained that this was as the federal government moves to improve trade efficiency for the collective economic prosperity in the country.
The Minister said, “Today, we convene as partners in progress to explore how the implementation of the National Single Window system can streamline trade facilitation and catalyze the growth of our blue economy.
“The executive decision to implement the National Single Window system alongside the Port Community System (led by the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy through the Nigerian Port Authority) marks a pivotal step in this direction, demonstrating the government’s commitment to modernizing trade processes and maximizing the utilization of our marine resources.
“Nigeria’s marine and blue economy represents an untapped gold mine of opportunities. It encompasses a vast spectrum of activities—from maritime shipping and fisheries to renewable energy and coastal tourism”.
To the Minister, with an expansive coastline of 853 kilometers and a maritime area of over 46,000 square kilometres, the country is positioned to leverage these resources for more sustainable economic growth.
He continued, “The marine and blue economy holds immense potential to contribute significantly to our GDP, create thousands of jobs, and drive regional and global trade”.
The Minister expressed regret that even with immense potential, the marine and blue economy faces challenges, such as inefficiencies in port operations, bureaucratic obstacles, and insufficient coordination with the stakeholders, a development he said has impeded growth.
He disclosed that the federal government is giving priority to multimodal connectivity in order to boost trade and check transportation cost.
The government, he said, is doing this by improving road, rail, and inland waterways links to and from the ports, assuring that these improvements, he said, are have been aimed at reducing costs of transportation.
He further disclosed that the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry in collaboration with the Lagos State Government cleared the Mile 2, Tin Can Port gridlock to improve on landside operations.
He also said that tugboats, mooring boats, pilot cutters, bollards, and fenders across all port locations for effective seaside operations have been provided.
He said, “We maximized crane productivity and ensured a reduced transit time for vessels and trucks. These led to a reduction in both the vessel and truck turn-around times.
“The vessel turn-around-time went down from an average of 7 days to an average of 5 days, while truck turn-around-time went from an average of 10 days to a few hours. But we are not resting on our oars, as our ultimate goal is to make Nigeria the hub of maritime in West Africa,”
Oyetola also said that efforts are on top gear to to rehabilitate existing ports, noting Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports as pilot projects.
He assured that the modernization address the issues of aged facilities which are currently nearing their economic lifespan.
He said, “We are also encouraging private-sector participation in developing green field ports and other infrastructure projects. Additionally, the NPA has acquired two state-of-the-art tugboats to strengthen its fleet, with plans to procure more marine crafts to boost operational efficiency”
He added that the Ministry has begun a strategic plan, and engaged stakeholders to work out modalities, on the best way to start a National Flag Carrier through a Private Public Partnership (PPP), an initiative, he explained is to create employment and reposition the maritime sector.
In his speech on the occasion, the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, while stating the commitment of the agency in NSW, said that all over the world, it connects all stakeholders involved in foreign trade, and enables them to carry out trade procedures on one platform.
He said the platform provides a comprehensive online environment for all governmental and business users, including importers, exporters, commercial banks, carriers, Customs, ministries, and other government agencies to perform trade operations.
Dantsoho also said that NSW remains the global trade best practice for the electronic exchange of information in relation to over 500 million TEU movements and billions of tonnes of cargo.
He said he was pleased as a result of the “concrete move” by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to implement the NSW in Nigeria, describing the move as pivotal to deepening the competitiveness of Nigerian ports and positioning the people to reap greater benefits from global trade.
On the Port Community System (PCS) known as a precursor for Single Window, the NPA MD said, “The purpose of the Port Community System (PCS) is primarily for Nigeria to comply with the dictates of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL), whose main objectives are to prevent unnecessary delays in maritime traffic, to aid cooperation between governments, and to secure the highest practicable degree of uniformity in formalities and other procedures.”
He added, “Furthermore, the Nigerian Ports Authority recognized the importance of Single Window and has planned and implemented its strategy and provided leadership within the Nigerian Ports Community.
“The Authority has taken a very proactive approach to embracing ICT technologies in implementing a number of its internal activities. This is due to the belief that cargo operations in our Ports cannot meet International Standards without the Port Community System.
“The National Single Window is a central piece in the modernization of our trade facilitation, and the Nigerian Ports Authority, under the supervision of His Excellency, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola CON, Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, is fully committed to its successful implementation”.
He pointed out the in recognition of how important single window can be in the nation’s ports operation, his agency earlier enlisted the technical guidance of the IMO for the deployment of the Port Community System (PCS).
Dantoso disclosed that Nigeria was admitted as a member of the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), to join top-class ports in the region, like Tangier Med Port of Morocco, Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast and Benin Republic after fulfilling necessary requirements.
He said that in repositioning Nigerian Ports to ensure regional and continental competitiveness, his agency has been involved in process reengineering,
He explained that this is targeted to be in line with the Authority’s statutory functions having in mind the NSW objectives, and also to ensure parity with regional competitors, “focusing on seamless data availability and enhanced transparency”.
He added, “I would like to emphasize that our mission is to position Nigeria as the trans-shipment hub in West Africa, and with our strategic location, a population of over 200 million people, and a large market, Nigerian Ports have the potential to become the leading trans-shipment hub in the African region.
“We also have the potential to serve as a transit port to land-locked countries, since out of the 44 land-locked countries in the world, 16 are in Africa” .
He expressed regret that this potential is suffering some constraints of infrastructure challenges and competition since neighbouring countries are developing their ports infrastructure.
But he assured that upcoming upcoming port modernization projects are determined to bridge this gap and ensure that Nigerian ports are ever competitive among regional counterparts.
The implementation of the Port Community System, according to the MD, is necessarily complex and one that does not happen quickly.
He added, “Consequently, the Nigerian Ports Authority has been consistent in its efforts since the year 2011 to fully operate the PCS.”
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