The Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has announced that the Nigerian Customs Service is prioritizing the decongestion of ports in order to enhance their efficiency and support export-led economic development.
According to Nairametrics, Adeniyi made this known during a meeting at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday where he emphasized the commitment of customs officers to carry out their duties in alignment with the objectives outlined in the Customs Service’s Policy Advisory Document.
He also stated that the NCS is actively exploring ways to contribute to the improvement of the economy and promote port efficiency.
Adeniyi said, “The NCS aims to decongest ports and streamline the clearance process to enable goods to be cleared within one hour of arrival.”
He also mentioned the goal of achieving a 48-hour clearance timeline for goods around the ports.
He said, “So, we talked about 48 hours clearance of goods around the ports and export-led inward-looking economic development strategies. So, these are some of the issues that we discussed”.
Additionally, Adeniyi expressed the customs’ commitment to enacting reforms and collaborating with other government agencies to achieve the objectives outlined in the PAC.
“It is worth noting that the Nigerian Ports Authority has also taken steps to alleviate congestion and enhance efficiency at ports.”
They plan to auction containers that have exceeded their required time at the ports, following a sensitization campaign involving shipping lines, freight forwarders, and clearing agents.
The NPA’s decision came after an assessment tour of the ports, which revealed a significant number of overtime cargoes and containers, contributing to infrastructure deterioration in Lagos, Tincan Island, and the Eastern-based ports.
