Export cargoes barred from Lagos ports for two weeks – NPA MD, Hadiza Bala Usman

Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman has announced that export cargoes have been barred from Lagos ports for two weeks.

Hadiza disclosed this in an interview on Radio Now 95.3 FM, she said the new directive became necessary to prevent parking on port access roads and is effective from Monday March 22.

“All export cargoes for two weeks will not be allowed access into the port. We have a backlog of over 600 trucks that have approached the port coming out of their truck parks and are currently in that location within the port corridors, within the Lilypond. So we are suspending all export cargoes, she said

Hadiza also disclosed that the suspension will enable consultations with export cargo stakeholders and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) on harmonising the procedures required for export as exporters contribute to traffic gridlock by approaching the ports without completing their documentation.

“This has been a challenge for us, the documentation, in terms of readiness of the terminal operators to receive them, some of the certifications they require from supervisory agencies based on the type of exports that they carry.

“They also have several custom certifications and CBN documents that they need to complete.Recognising that as a problem, we have invited the export promotion council to join us this week to meet with the large exporters to make them understand the procedures as it relates to documentation. If any of your documents are not ready, you must remain within your location. Actually, you shouldn’t even start your journey to the ports, she added