The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s port operations, insisting that the full automation of cargo clearance and redeployment of scanners are critical to resolving longstanding inefficiencies.
President of the LCCI, Gabriel Idahosa, in a recent statement, decried the slow nature of Nigeria’s maritime and logistics sector when compared to regional peers, including Ghana and South Africa.
He stated, “The average cargo dwell time at Apapa Port is 26 days, far above the five- to seven-day average of regional peers. These inefficiencies stem from persistent manual processes at Customs, bottlenecks in cargo examination, and a heavy human interface that creates stumbling blocks to cargo clearance.”
Idahosa warned that systemic challenges were eroding Nigeria’s competitiveness. This follows reports that global shipping lines are redirecting cargo from Nigeria to neighbouring countries, thus reinforcing concerns among operators.
The LCCI boss urged a wake-up call for authorities in the Nigerian maritime sector, cautioning, “We must act swiftly to address the root causes. That includes implementing the National Single Window Project without further delay, automating cargo clearance end-to-end, and redeploying mobile and digital cargo scanners at all major ports.”
Recent reports have revealed that major global players such as the United States and Russia are increasingly favouring Togo’s Lomé Port over Nigerian ports, citing high costs, poor clearance efficiency, and bureaucratic delays.
According to reports, the U.S. Coast Guard and Russian export stakeholders are now establishing more strategic operations with the Port of Lome due to the delays and unpredictability of Nigerian port processes.
The LCCI also criticised the recent 15 per cent increase in port tariffs announced by the Nigerian Ports Authority, warning it places additional strain on freight operators who are already grappling with inflation and exchange rate instability.
“While the intention may be to improve infrastructure, this tariff hike is ill-timed and insensitive to current realities in the sector. Operators are already under intense pressure from rising costs and policy uncertainty,” Idahosa said.
He also highlighted persistent delays caused by excessive Customs queries on imported goods.
“This has not only delayed clearance processes but, in some cases, created opportunities for abuse. There is a need for deeper collaboration with Customs to streamline procedures and curb discretionary bottlenecks,” he added.
Despite the numerous challenges, the LCCI acknowledged some positive developments in the port logistics ecosystem. Transport rates from the ports, according to the Chamber, have dropped by as much as 60 per cent in recent weeks.
“Just months ago, moving goods from Apapa to Ikeja could cost up to N1m. Today, those costs have come down significantly. This is a welcome relief for businesses and shippers,” Idahosa added.
He also applauded the Nigerian Railway Corporation for expanding cargo movement by rail from Apapa to destinations within Lagos and Ibadan.
“Increased rail use for cargo haulage is a promising shift away from road dependence. It enhances efficiency, reduces road congestion, and lowers overall logistics costs. We are monitoring this closely and encouraging further adoption,” he said.
While restating the Chamber’s commitment to ongoing stakeholder engagement, Idahosa said the LCCI would continue to advocate reforms that promote transparency, efficiency, and global competitiveness in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
He noted that without urgent steps to align port performance with international standards, Nigeria risks further isolation from global logistics networks.
“We are committed to working with the Nigeria Customs Service, the Federal Ministry of Transportation, and other relevant agencies to fix these issues. The time to act is now,” Idahosa stated.
Other stakeholders, including the Importers Association of Nigeria, have stated that they expect port reforms to hasten the clearance of shipments of goods at ports to as fast as three hours and increase turnover as they subscribe to the National Single Window.
President of IMAN, Kingsley Chikezie, noted that importers anticipate improved turnover as the project promises to reduce the time they spend on shipment clearance.
Chikezie stated, “Once you enter the National Single Window, it will increase the revenue generation of the government because there will be serious turnover on the part of the traders due to having a quick delivery period.
“We expect that by registering in NSW, we can hasten the clearance of our shipments that would have taken a long time, sometimes months, and be done within three hours.”
