The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have resolved to join forces to improve cargo dwell time (CDT) in Nigeria’s seaports.
To this end, the two government organisations have concluded a three-day high-level stakeholder engagement in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos.
The three day engagement with the theme, “Achieving a 7-Day Cargo Dwell Time,” brought together the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee (PCEC) under the Business Environment Enhancement Programme Accelerator (BEEPA) framework and hosted by NPA recently.
NPA in a statement said the engagement was geared towards streamlining port processes to bolster the ease of doing business in the nation’s seaports.
The engagement which took place at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, followed an extensive “shadowing” exercise where officials observed real-time vessel berthing and cargo clearance operations at both the Tin Can Island Port, Apapa and Lagos Ports Complex (LPC).
Speaking at the event, PEBEC Director General, Zahrah Mustapha emphasized that the session was designed to move beyond identifying hurdles toward implementing long-overdue practical solutions.
Mustapha’s words: “Nigeria loses significantly every day due to operational inefficiencies. These are not just numbers. They represent missed opportunities, jobs not created, and delayed economic growth. This reform is about resilience and unlocking the nation’s economic potential.”
The PEBEC helmsman noted that the initiative integrates both government regulators and private sector stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability, with the ultimate goal of reducing cargo dwell time and improving vessel turnaround time.
The Managing Director of NPA, Mr. Abubakar Dantsoho reiterated the authority’s commitment to supporting PEBEC’s mandates.
He highlighted NPA’s progress over the years including collaborating with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to deploy the Port Community System (PCS) which will serve as the digital backbone for the National Single Window, a move expected to eliminate manual bottlenecks and synchronize port operations.
It is on record that the NPA achieved a 100% success rate in PEBEC reforms, ranking 5th among agencies in 2025 with an 84.2% compliance rating.
The outcomes of this engagement are expected to be implemented within the coming months. By closing the operational gaps identified during the port inspections, NPA and PEBEC aim to create a more competitive maritime environment that attracts investment and facilitates seamless trade.
