WAF Shipping Focus: Week 47
- Agwe Logistics Solutions
- Nov 23
- 4 min read
The leadership of the Lagos State Truck and Cargo Operators Commi9ee (LASTCOC) has applauded the round-the-clock presence of the Apapa Port Manager, Mr. Adebowale Lawal, noting that his daily 24-hour engagement has significantly improved traffic conditions on the port access roads. In a statement signed by its Chairman, LASTCOC, Mr. Shittu Lukmon, said the improved traffic flow has boosted the movement of export trucks into the Lagos Port Complex, LPC, of the Nigerian Ports Authority, helping to ease congestion at the Export Processing Terminals, EPTs in and around Lagos. He noted that Lawal’s commitment and dedication to duty are truly inspiring, adding that the trucking community has every reason to support his efforts toward ensuring a more efficient port system at the Lagos Port Complex. He said: “This is commendable work from the Apapa Port Manager. I have never seen a Port Manager like him."
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Benin has taken a major step toward positioning itself as West Africa’s leading trade and logistics hub with the launch of the Africa Logistics Zone, a flagship initiative developed jointly by the Port Autonome de Cotonou (PAC) and Port of Antwerp-Bruges International (PoABI). Leveraging its strategic coastal location, the Port of Cotonou serves as a vital gateway for cargo designed for landlocked nations such as Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. The Africa Logistics Zone is designed to maximise this strategic advantage by integrating modern facilities with state-of-the-art logistics infrastructure. Since partnering with the Port Authority of Cotonou in 2018, PoABI has driven transformative improvements in port efficiency, operational standards, and productivity. These advancements have earned Cotonou a position among the world’s fastest-improving ports, as highlighted by the Global Container Port Performance Index from S&P and the World Bank.
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Nigeria has taken a decisive step towards modernising its trade ecosystem with the
commencement of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for the National Single Window
(NSW) platform. The initiative, slated for full deployment by March 2026, is
expected to streamline cross-border trade, cut logistics costs, and position the
country as a regional leader in digital commerce. The technology vendor,
CrimsonLogic, guided each agency and stakeholder through the NSW’s onboarding process, system navigation features and the operational framework designed to streamline the country’s trade processes, according to a statement from the firm. The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, visited the UAT grounds to assess the level of progress recorded so far. The National Single Window (NSW) is a unified, technology-driven trade platform designed to integrate all trade-related processes across government agencies into one digital system. Instead of navigating multiple agencies with overlapping paperwork, importers, exporters, and freight forwarders will use a single portal to process documentation, payments, and approvals.
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Truck park owners in Onne in Rivers state have embraced the full implementation
of the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) Electronic Call-Up System with the aim of
ending the persistent gridlock at the Eastern Port axis. This is just as stakeholders
have stressed that the commencement of the Call-Up system will restore order,
enhance port efficiency and safeguard investments in the trucking and logistics
value chain. Speaking on the development, the Chairman of the Nigerian Port
Consultative Council (NPCC), Onne Chapter, Mr Godwin Ololuke, announced that
preparations have been concluded for the electronic call-up system along the Onne Port corridor. Ololuke explained that truck park owners and the system consultant recently met with the management of the NPA through the Port Manager in Onne. He added that the initiative aims to regulate the movement of trucks within and around the port area to ensure safety for all stakeholders, including schoolchildren and nearby residents.
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AGL has marked a major step forward for Africa’s maritime and trade landscape
with the official inauguration of Phases 1 and 2 of the Tema Port expansion in
Ghana. The project, executed by Meridian Port Services (MPS) through a strong
public-private partnership, represents a US$1.5 billion investment and reinforces
Ghana’s position as a leading maritime hub in West Africa. The upgraded Terminal
3 introduces significant new capacity and infrastructure that will support the
continent’s growing trade flows. The terminal now spans 127 hectares of additional
space and features a 1.4-kilometre quay with four ultra-modern berths. Its handling
capability has risen sharply from 800,000 TEUs to 3 million TEUs, placing the facility
among the most advanced and efficient in the region. The inauguration brought
together key national and industry leaders, highlighting the importance of the port to Ghana and its neighbours. President John Dramani Mahama joined Transport Minister Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, AGL Chairman Philippe Labonne and MPS CEO Mohamed Samara to celebrate the completion of this major development.
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Nigerian Shippers’ Council has intensified efforts to tackle the country’s prolonged
cargo clearance delays—currently averaging 21 days, and considered one of the
longest globally, by strengthening collaboration with the Maritime Police Command through a new capacity-building programme. The workshop with the theme “Facilitating Port Efficiency: The Strategic Role of the Maritime Police”, held
yesterday, in Lagos. Declaring the training open on behalf of the Council’s Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Pius Akutah, the Director, Regulatory Services Department, Margaret Ogbonnah, said the event marks “a high-point” in the port regulator’s long-standing partnership with the Nigeria Police, especially as the Federal Government pushes for more efficient port operations under the blue economy reform agenda. 18 + In his remarks, the ES noted that the country continues to lag behind regional and global peers in cargo clearance speed. “While it takes only 6 hours to clear a containerised cargo in Singapore and seven days in Lomé, it takes an average of 21 days or more in Nigerian ports. This has contributed to Nigeria’s low global perception index on Ease of Doing Business,” he said.
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