The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Thursday, presented operational licenses to five Export Processing Terminal (EPT) operators.
The licenced terminals are Messrs. Diamondstar Port & Terminals Ltd; Messrs. Esslibra Terminal; Messrs. Sundial Global Trade & Service Ltd; Messrs. Bellington Cargo Ltd and Messrs. Tenzik Energy Ltd.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, said the terminals were to support ongoing efforts to create the enabling environment that would scale-up the nation’s export development initiative.
The public presentation of the licences is coming just few days after the Authority formally inaugurated the Lilypond Export Processing Terminal.
The MD said the exercise was a testament of the port’s unflinching resolve to transform Nigeria’s export potentials into actualities.
He stressed that the need for the Export Processing Terminals was underscored by the limitations of current port facilities in the Lagos area which were operating beyond their “as built capacity” for cargo handling.
According to him the EPTs were therefore holding areas positioned in Lagos and Ogun States to help exporters prepare their arrival at port terminals in-view of the traffic management challenges that were visible in Lagos.
He disclosed that the procedure for licensing the terminals commenced in April, 2021 “when we released public notice No. 4152 for Expression of Interest for the Certificate of Export Processing Terminal to Service Lagos Ports Complex and Toncan Island Port Complex.”
He noted that at the close of the advertorial on 24th May, 2021 not less than 30 companies had expressed interest.
“The inspection committee and the Project Delivery Team (PDT) following a thorough engagement including presentation by prospective companies arrived at a list of Ten (10) companies which were subsequently granted approval to join the Lilypond Export Processing Terminal.”
“Today, only five (5) out of a total of Eleven (11) Companies have met our stringent conditions and would be granted formal certification. The remaining six (6) who hold provisional licenses would unfortunately be dropped at the end of this month if they fail to meet our standard to allow us consider other applicants on our waiting list.”
“This journey has not been easy but we have insisted on ensuring that only venture capitalist willing to deploy appropriate resources can make the cup,” he maintained.
Koko stated that the NPA had also used this project to encourage local content in the export value chain and “we are proud of that. We will offer all support policy wise to ensure the growth and stability of the terminals.
“This initiative signposts the Nigerian Ports Authority’s commitment to implementation of the National Action Plan on Agro-Export and the Federal Government of Nigeria desire to diversify the national economy from oil export to non-oil exports.”
“We are also currently working to integrate the CBN NXP to the e-call up regime and have progressed on discussion to operationalize same using the electronic call up as the gateway.”
“The integration of the barge and train movements will complete the circle and we look forward to work in collaboration with Nigerian Customs to achieve this.”
“The Nigerian Ports Authority is not unaware of the existence of export warehouses handling manufactured products. We are working with the Export Command of the Nigerian Custom Service to bring up seamless modalities that will govern this aspect of the project.”
He disclosed that movement of Agro Export boxes arriving the ports from Lagos and Ogun states shall only be allowed into the ports from any of the Export Processing Terminals.
“For export containers arriving from the Domestic Export Warehouses (DEWs) located across the country, the Authority is committed to receiving them subject to compliance with the traffic management put in place by the Lagos State Government in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority,” he said.
He enjoined terminal operators, shipping companies and other stakeholders to have first hand knowledge of the procedure to ensure success of the Federal Government National Action Plan on Agro – Export development in the country. You have a responsibility to ensure strict compliance in this regard.