WAF Shipping Focus: Week 22
- Agwe Logistics Solutions
- May 30
- 4 min read
The Federal Government has approved the maintenance dredging of the $1.5
billion Lekki Deep Seaport channel, deepening it from its current 16.5 metres to
17 metres in the first phase, with a long-term goal of achieving a 19-metre
depth. This landmark approval, aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading
transshipment hub in West Africa, was announced at the weekend by the
Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar
Dantsoho, during his maiden visit to Lekki Port. During the visit, Dantsoho,
accompanied by senior NPA officials, commended the performance of Lekki
Port and urged its management to consolidate on the rising transshipment
volumes, especially in servicing landlocked neighbouring countries. He noted
that the port’s growing throughput volume signals a transformative shift in
Nigeria’s maritime logistics and export competitiveness.
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The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) have
concluded plans to develop the nation’s Marine and Blue Economy sector, with
plans to ensure expansion of export operations. Speaking yesterday during a
courtesy call to the NPA headquarters in Lagos, President of the Dangote
Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote explained that as the biggest customer
to the NPA, it is important that the interaction between NPA and DIL is
sustained. According to Dangote, “We are here to thank the NPA for doing a
great job, because as we speak today, we are the biggest or largest customer to
NPA. “I think this kind of interaction between us and them is very, very
important for the growth of the industry. So, we discussed quite a lot of issues.
We also discussed issues of how to deepen the Marine and Blue Economy of
the nation. And we have agreed to actually work together for the benefit of
Nigeria.
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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Customs Administration of Benin
Republic inaugurated an Interconnected System for Management of Goods in
Transit (SIGMAT) platform, aimed at boosting regional trade. Mr Adewale
Adeniyi, Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) and the Director General of
Benin Customs Administration, Mme Adidjath Hassan Zanouvii, unveiled the
system at a news conference held at the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post. Speaking
during the inauguration, Adeniyi said the platform was designed to remove
some of the challenges faced by operators. According to him, the system is
resilient and will eliminate bottlenecks linked to international trade. It has
worked effectively in seven other countries. He expressed optimism about the
platform’s success, saying that officers from the service had been trained to
manage the platform with support from critical stakeholders.
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In a bold step to cement its leadership in African trade under the $3.4 trillion
African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, Nigeria has launched a cutting-edge
Market Intelligence Tool and a dedicated East/Southern Africa Air Cargo
Corridor, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme,
UNDP and Uganda Airlines. The twin initiatives, unveiled at the Bank of
Industry headquarters in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and
Investment, are designed to drastically cut logistics costs and empower
Nigerian exporters, particularly women-led micro, small, and medium
enterprises, MSMEs, with real-time trade data across 13 African markets. The
Nigeria-East/Southern Africa Market Intelligence Tool provides granular data
on tariffs, trade flows, product demand, regulatory requirements, and buyer
profiles, enabling Nigerian exporters to target high-growth sectors such as
agribusiness, cosmetics, and textiles with surgical precision.
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APM Terminals Apapa has responded to recent concerns surrounding the
congestion of empty containers at its terminal, setting the record straight on
the root causes of the situation and assuring stakeholders of its continued
professionalism, service efficiency, and close collaboration with relevant parties
to resolve the issue promptly. There have been insinuations suggesting that
APM Terminals Apapa is not receiving empty containers, allegedly contributing
to yard congestion. However, the terminal operator has clarified that the
management of empty container evacuation into the terminal – and
subsequent shipment onto vessels – is the exclusive responsibility of shipping
lines, which own and control all containers. In a statement, APM Terminals
Apapa Terminal Manager, Steen Knudsen, said due to a sharp and sustained
surge in import cargo volumes over recent weeks, shipping lines have had to
prioritise discharging incoming laden containers over evacuating empties.
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As President Bola Tinubu marked the second anniversary of his administration,
he identified key maritime and trade reforms as critical components of his
economic recovery strategy, describing them as “undeniable progress” under
the Renewed Hope Agenda. In a nationwide broadcast and statement released
by the State House, President Tinubu announced that Nigeria’s maritime and
trade environment has witnessed targeted policy reforms designed to boost
exports, improve trade facilitation, and enhance global competitiveness. He
cited the National Single Window Project—a digital platform aimed at
streamlining cross-border trade—as a major milestone in easing import and
export bottlenecks at Nigerian ports. According to the president, the initiative
is already reducing delays and is expected to enhance Nigeria’s position in global
trade indices.
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