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Insecurity, lack of automation, bane of 24- hr port operations at Nigerian ports—Russo.

Eyewitness reporter
Rising insecurity in the country, as well as lack of full automation of port processes, have been identified as part of the factors militating against the attainment of 24- hour port operations in the country.
The Managing Director of Port and Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML), Ascanio Russo, who made this disclosure recently in Lagos, also fingered bad access roads that have hampered seamless evacuation of cargo from the ports, a factor he said combines to made 24-hour port operation near impossible.
He noted that until these challenges are resolved, achieving round-the-clock port operations will still be far-fetched at Nigerian ports.
“On the aspect of 24/7 port operations and cargo delivery; it wouldn’t work until banks can receive Customs duty payments online seamlessly.

“Besides GTbank, no other bank can do automatic payment of duties. So, after the banks close on Friday, people can’t make customs duty payments,” he explained.

“For us at PTML, we provide 24- hour service a day, but insecurity has discouraged other agencies involved in cargo clearance to work at night.

” For instance,  freight forwarders cannot work at night over the fears of being attacked by armed robbers or exposed to other threats around the ports,” he said.

He however urged the government to address the insecurity and take action on the construction of the port access roads in order to have seamless port operations in the country.

“We are already working 24 -hour operations. We receive vessels all the time and are ready to deliver cargo even during the night but the challenge is insecurity.

” We need to address the issue of insecurity and congestion because clearing agents are not comfortable to work during the night because they don’t feel safe.

“The same thing goes for Customs officers and we cannot blame them because the area we operate can be volatile and no one will want to stay out late at night because when they leave, they may be attacked by armed robbers or any other threat which may arise.

“We also have challenges with the banks about paying duties online. Another challenge we are having in our terminal at Mile 2 is the congestion on the road.

“We can deliver over 1,000 cars a day because of the digital solution we offer but unfortunately, the road is blocked. So the vehicles cannot get out of the terminal because there is no space on the road to receive them,” he said.

Russo said while the terminal and its parent company, Grimaldi Nigeria have adopted the use of technology to enhance its operation, some government agencies involved in cargo clearance are yet to key into full digitisation of their operations thus maintaining human contact at the port.

 “We have digitalised everything which could have been digitalised and we would have digitised even more if not for certain practice with those we are interacting with as some of them are not digitalised.

“From the arrival of the vessel to the delivery of the cargo basically our clients can do everything online. They don’t even need to come to the port. My dream is that one day, I will come to the office and I will not see all this crowd around the port.

“The reason why PTML has never experienced congestion is that we have the real solution, otherwise with the number of vehicles coming into this port terminal, there will be crazy congestion but because we have invested in digitisation and still investing there, we don’t have any congestion.”

Russo said the company has adopted the use of barges to receive export cargoes and move empty containers.

“Because of this off-dock terminal, we have been moving cargo in and out with our barges. We have been overwhelmed by requests from customers to work with us because they know that with our solution, the export cargo can access the terminal without any delay. This is why last year; we were the first carrier of export containers.”

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Headlines

NIWA partners ICPC to strengthen internal transparency in its operations  

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter 
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has announced new strategies aimed at improving its operational system and enhancing collaboration with key stakeholders as part of efforts to boost efficiency and accountability.
Speaking at a post event Press Conference at NIWA Headquarters Lokoja, the Acting Managing Director, Umar Yusuf Girei, while answering questions from journalists stated that, the organization convened a two -day Executive and Anti-Corruption training with the theme “Strengthening Integrity and Revenue System in Inland Waterways Management” organized for Board Members, Management and Area Managers and also 2026 NIWA Management Retreat in Abuja.
The Acting MD noted as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,with the support  Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, the Authority is focused on aligning institutional goals in ensuring better service delivery to Nigerians.
He further said, as part of its anti-corruption drive, the Management held discussions with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to explore measures for strengthening transparency within its operations.
Girei therefore, assured staff that the ongoing reforms under his watch would translate into improved service and better working conditions.
“NIWA remains committed to continuous improvement and stakeholder engagement and the reforms are expected to enhance both internal performance and public confidence”. he stated.
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Headlines

Navy appoints new Maritime Guard Commander for NIMASA 

Gloria Odion,  Maritime Reporter 

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has approved the appointment of Commodore Reginald Odeodi Adoki as the Commander of the Maritime Guard Command at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Commodore Adoki takes over from Commodore H.C Oriekeze who has been redeployed.

Commodore Adoki, a principal Warfare Officer specializing in communication and intelligence,  brings onboard 25 years experience in the Nigerian Navy covering training, staff and operations.

 As a seaman, he has commanded NNS Andoni, NNS Kyanwa and NNS Kada.
It was under his command that NNS Kada under took her maiden voyage, sailing from the country of build (the United Arab Emirates) into Nigeria.
He was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy in 2000 with a BSc in Mathematics.
 He has since earned a Masters in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos and an M.Sc in Terrorism, Security and Policing at University of Leicester, England.
He is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Defence and Security Studies at the National Defence Academy (NDA).
He is a highly decorated officer with several medals for distinguished service.

Welcoming the new MGC Commander to the Agency, the Director General, Dr Dayo Mobereola, expressed confidence in Adoki’s addition to the team, emphasising that it will further strengthen the nation’s maritime security architecture given his vast experience in the industry.

The Maritime Guard Command domiciled in NIMASA was established as part of the resolutions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Navy to assist NIMASA strengthen operational efficiency in Nigeria’s territorial waters, especially through enforcement of security, safety and other maritime regulations.

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Customs

Customs collects N1.585 trillion from 51 compliant traders under AEO programme 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 
The Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), one of the trade facilitation tools introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service in 2025, has begun to yield bountiful harvests with the revenue growth of ₦362.79 billion recorded in 2025.
According to the AEO scorecard released by the Service, the facilitation tool grossed the sum of N1.585 trillion after certification, an increase revenue from N1.222 trillion before certification.
This represents the growth of N362.79 billion(29.68 per cent) for 51 AEO – certified entities as at October, 2025.
The Programme, according to the NCS,  also contributed 21.77% to its total revenue collection of ₦7.281 trillion in 2025, while customs duties paid rose by 85.66% due to enhanced compliance and increased volumes of legitimate trade.
According to AEO Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Report, the Programme achieved an average compliance rate of 85.45 per cent with the highest at 100 per cent and the lowest at 60 per cent.
“The evaluation applied rigorous methodologies to ensure objectivity, transparency, and alignment with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards and the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
“In the area of trade facilitation, AEO participation reduced average cargo clearance time from 168 hours to 41 hours, representing a 75.60% time saving.
“Company operating costs declined by 57.2 per cent while demurrage payments dropped by 90 per cent, limiting capital flight to foreign-owned port service providers and strengthening foreign exchange retention.
” Overall trade efficiency improved by 77.11 per  through digitalisation, simplified procedures, and targeted risk management” the Customs declared in the AEO scorecard.
However, the Service singled out with Eight companies for commendation due to their integrity and compliance under the programme.
The companies include Coleman Technical Industries Limited, WACOT Rice Limited, ROMSON Oil Field Services Ltd, WACOT Limited, Chi Farms Ltd, CORMART Nigeria Ltd, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.
The Service lauded them for a cumulative voluntary remittance of over a billion naira into the Federation Account following their self-initiated transaction review and disclosure.
“These actions reflect the strengthening of post-clearance audit mechanisms and a growing culture of voluntary compliance within the trading community.
Nevertheless, the Service suspended a firm under the programme for its non- compliance and display of lack of integrity.
The suspended firm engaged in false declaration of consignments contrary to programme obligations.
“Consequently, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, directed the immediate suspension of the company’s AEO status in accordance with the AEO Guidelines, the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards, and Section 112 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
The NCS reiterated that the AEO Programme is founded on trust, transparency, and continuous compliance.
“While compliant operators will continue to benefit from expedited clearance and reduced inspection, appropriate sanctions will be applied where violations are established.
“The Service remains resolute in safeguarding national revenue, facilitating legitimate trade, and preserving the integrity and global credibility of Nigeria’s AEO framework” the NCS concluded in the report.
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