Business & Strategy

Government’s Drive for Non-Oil Revenue Threatened as Thousands of Export Containers Trapped at Lagos Port

Written by Jerry Alomatu on May 7, 2024

News Views: 76

The Nigerian government’s efforts to boost non-oil revenue face a significant challenge as over 4,800 containers loaded with export goods are currently stranded at the Lagos port. Among these, 616 have been abandoned for more than three years, exacerbating the plight of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in the export sector.

Disputes have arisen among shippers, terminal operators, and shipping lines, each blaming the other for the delays. The Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) has called for a stakeholders’ meeting to address the issue and resolve the container trapping problem.

APM Terminal, in response to complaints by shippers, has managed to persuade Maersk shipping line to evacuate 1,900 containers from their facility by May 8, 2024. Kayode Daniel, the Government Relations Manager of APM Terminal, attributed the delay to some containers not receiving customs clearance to be loaded onto vessels for export, despite following all procedures.

Pius Akutah, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Shippers Council, expressed concern over the time wasted at the port for export cargo, particularly amid the government’s economic diversification efforts.

During the meeting, Celestine Akunjobi, Deputy Director of Consumers Services at NSC, questioned why Maersk Shipping Line had to wait for APM Terminal’s intervention before agreeing to pick up the containers. He suggested that the delay was a deliberate action by the shipping lines.

In response, Chinenye Deinde, General Manager of Legal at APM Terminal, defended the shipping lines, stating that they were not present at the meeting and should be given the opportunity to explain the delay in picking up export boxes from the terminal.

The situation underscores the challenges faced by exporters and the need for collaboration among stakeholders to streamline port operations and support Nigeria’s economic diversification goals.