TheCable

Mohammed Bello-Koko, managing director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), says the agency is making efforts to address the bottlenecks affecting non-oil exports in the country.

Bello-Koko said this at the 2022 Zenith Bank international trade seminar on non-oil export on Wednesday in Lagos.

The seminar was themed; ‘Unlocking opportunities in Nigeria’s non-oil export business’.

Bello-Koko said for the agency to address the bottlenecks in exports, there needs to be proper synergy between vessels that come into the country as well as records of the ones that leave the ports.

He also said the authority had deployed a truck electronic call-up system to ease the movement of cargoes into the port as well as created pregates where trucks would park before entering the port.

“We are working with the government to ensure diversification of the economy and we are encouraging non-oil exports,” he said.

“Also, not just about deploying an e-call-up system, we have licensed 10 export processing terminals.

“The terminals are supposed to be at locations whereby one stalk, process, package, certify, seal and send it directly to the port.

“But for it to succeed, we need other government agencies. We need to understand that the port is a maritime ecosystem not just for the NPA but other government agencies.

“And so for the export processing terminals that were created, we expect the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to have an export desk there for certification,” he said.

The NPA boss further said that three out of the 10 export processing terminals would come on stream shortly.

He said barges were also introduced at a cost borne by the exporters thereby making export more expensive and would reduce the burden in the future.

He also called for the introduction of a national single window to ease the movement of cargoes in the country.

“Automation is key to reducing congestion and will ensure quick processing of export and import documentation,” he added.

“In the documentation, whether import or export, all starts with the consignee, and the form is Form M and this has to do with port destination, loading, and discharging.

“So, there is a need to have one form that serves everybody and that is the national single window where all transactions will be done, even payment.

“One bulk payment can be made and everybody is paid separately at the same time. This is obtainable in other neighbouring African countries and I believe we can do so here.”

On his part, Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said various initiatives and interventions have been introduced to harness the opportunities in the non-oil sector to create wealth for the country.

Emefiele said the rebate facilities are to encourage exporters, bridge gaps as well as provide funding for capital expenditure.

“We have the N500 billion non-oil stimulation facilitation, commercial agricultural scheme act for agricultural commodities, and many others,” he said.

He added that Nigeria should look inwards for economic growth and development. 

 Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the group managing director, Zenith Bank, in his address, said opportunities in the non-oil export were expansive and inclusive with a huge value chain.