The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), in collaboration with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), has concluded a three-day high-level stakeholder engagement in Lagos aimed at drastically reducing cargo dwell time at Nigerian ports to seven days.
The session, themed “Achieving a 7-Day Cargo Dwell Time,” was held at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, and brought together the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee (PCEC) under the Business Environment Enhancement Programme Accelerator (BEEPA) framework. It focused on streamlining port processes to improve efficiency and strengthen Nigeria’s ease-of-doing-business profile.
The engagement followed an extensive “shadowing” exercise, during which officials observed real-time vessel berthing and cargo clearance operations at the Lagos Port and Tincan Island Port complexes. The exercise enabled stakeholders to identify operational gaps and practical solutions across the port value chain.
Speaking at the event, PEBEC Director-General, Zahrah Mustapha, said the initiative was designed to move beyond diagnosing problems toward implementing long-overdue reforms.
“Nigeria loses significantly every day due to operational inefficiencies. These are not just numbers; they represent missed opportunities, jobs not created, and delayed economic growth,” Mustapha said, stressing that the reforms are critical to unlocking the nation’s economic potential.
She noted that the process integrates government regulators and private sector operators to promote transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes, with a focus on reducing cargo dwell time and improving vessel turnaround time.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to supporting PEBEC’s reform agenda. He highlighted ongoing collaboration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the deployment of the Port Community System (PCS), which will serve as the digital backbone of the National Single Window.
According to Dantsoho, the PCS is expected to eliminate manual bottlenecks, harmonise port operations, and enhance efficiency across the maritime ecosystem.
He recalled that the NPA recorded a 100 per cent success rate in PEBEC reforms in 2025, ranking fifth among federal agencies with an 84.2 per cent compliance score.
Outcomes from the stakeholder engagement are expected to be implemented in the coming months. By closing the operational gaps identified during port inspections, the NPA and PEBEC aim to create a more competitive maritime environment capable of attracting investment and facilitating seamless trade.
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