NPCC seeks seamless ports to boost cross-border trade competitiveness
The Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC) has restated its commitment to simplifying cross-border trade and enhancing ease of doing business at the nation’s ports to boost competitiveness and drive national economic growth.
The Vice Chairman of NPCC, Mrs Jean Chiazor Anishere (SAN), said the council’s quarterly meeting, themed “Simplifying Cross-Border Trade and Enhancing Ease of Doing Business at Our Ports,” was timely for the development of the maritime sector and the nation’s logistics competitiveness.
Anishere said ports are not merely cargo gateways but critical instruments of national economic development, noting their impact on goods prices, business competitiveness, investor attraction and the overall success of Nigeria’s international trade in the maritime domain.
She noted that cross-border trade requires coordination among government agencies, port operators, shipping lines, terminal operators, freight forwarders, customs brokers, financial institutions and traders to ensure efficient cargo movement.
The NPCC Vice Chairman called for deepening digitalisation and automation through an integrated port community system, inter-agency data sharing, electronic documentation and risk-based inspection to reduce duplication and improve transparency and compliance.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of NPCC, Mr Bolaji Sunmola, welcomed stakeholders and said the theme underscored the central role Nigerian ports play in national competitiveness and economic development. He urged open deliberations toward actionable recommendations for seamless, transparent and efficient port operations nationwide.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola, said efficient, transparent and predictable port operations were central to Nigeria’s maritime economy and its continental trade competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
Mobereola, who was represented by the Director of Shipping Development, Mr Abdullahi Salihu, said cross-border trade was a continuous journey in which delay increases cost, reduces confidence and undermines the competitiveness of Nigerian businesses in Africa under the AfCFTA regime.
He said market size and geographical position alone do not guarantee cargo throughput unless trade corridors are reliable, transparent and efficient, noting that compliance processes must be made simpler, more predictable and time-bound for traders.
Mobereola said the National Single Window, launched on March 27, 2026, was designed to unify import and export documentation, reduce duplication and cut cargo clearance time from 21 days to seven days.
He added that the platform’s e-management system is now live and improving operational visibility, while the Deep Blue project, run in collaboration with the Navy, has ensured zero piracy incidents in three years. He also noted that Nigeria has returned to Category C status with the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
In a goodwill message, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) said simplifying cross-border trade and enhancing ease of doing business at the ports was central to diversifying non-oil exports and empowering entrepreneurs across the country.
The Managing Director of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Mrs Ronke Olaiye, said the council would continue to amplify exporters’ voices in the drive for competitive trade facilitation.
