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Lekki Deep Sea Port: Another Apapa port beckons

—–as Amaechi confesses  FG too broke to connect seaport with rail
Eyewitness reporter
The Lekki Deep Sea Port, the first and biggest port facility in the West Africa sub-region, may become another Apapa port that is notorious for its malignant traffic gridlock.
This is because the multi-billion dollars port facility will not be after all linked with the much-anticipated rail line meant to decongest the already congested Lekki-Ajah road.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has confessed that the Federal Government lacks the financial capacity to undertake such a rail project.
Amaechi make this startling revelation when he undertook an inspection tour of the port complex which is expected to be completed in June and functional by September, this year.

The Minister, who was in the company of the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, and the Permanent Secretary of transportation ministry, Dr Ajani Magdalene, lamented that in as much as he would have loved to link the port with the rail line, the paucity of funds has incapacitated the Federal Government to do so.
“As a Minister of Transportation, I imagined a lot of things that I could have implemented.
“I imagined that the Lagos-Calabar rail line would start from here, that was my imagination, but, the Lagos-Calabar rail project needs $11.1 billion funding but, there were no such funds at the moment for the project”, he lamented,
The Minister’s confession has now put paid to the expectation of industry stakeholders who advised and recommended that to avoid the recreation of the notorious Apapa gridlock at Lekki deep seaport, the facility, as a matter of expediency, must be connected with a rail line.
According to them, this is necessary in order not to further exacerbate the already congested Lekki-Ajah road.
However, the Minister advised the port contractors to invest in the rail sector, adding that the government will either do tax reduction or do something to help them.”Another advice I could give is if they want to invest, they can invest in rail and then the government will either do tax reduction or do something to help them.

“If we get the 11.1billion as it is, we would probably have to divert the rail line, because Lagos-Calabar rail line actually goes into Lagos city, we can divert it to come to the seaport in Lekki,” he stated.

The minister further disclosed that Lekki deep seaport, when completed and operational, would contribute $360 billion to the Nigerian economy over the course of 45 years.

He said the deep seaport was “a privately funded project, over time, they (contractors), will collect their revenue from the commercial activities before they hand over to the Federal Government.

“But obviously, taxes will be collected here, even they (contractors) will pay taxes, I am not sure there were any taxes mentioned in the agreement, but I doubt if there is any tax exemption.

“So, we will collect taxes here, the confidence in giving them the project is because of the taxes that we will collect here that will help us in the construction of other projects.”

Amaechi, further explained that the contractors will have to recover the money they invested in the project, stating that “in financial terms, in the process of recovering their money, they will contribute to the GDP of the nation annually”.

He said the project will contribute over “$360 billion over the years. It sounds much, but we actually need more of that money to accomplish what we want to achieve.”

On the expansion of the seaport, the Minister complained that the port was not spacious enough to accommodate high-level economic activities in years to come.

“It also depends on how much the economy will grow before then. The growth of the economy will put pressure on the expansion.

“The argument we had in the cabinet is that the need for a deep seaport at Lekki was a result of the fact that the demand for port activities in the country has exceeded the supply of Tincan and Apapa around Lagos.

“This is the first deep seaport in Nigeria, what we had all this while are river ports, the Tincan is a river port, the Apapa is a river port and port Harcourt.

“Right here you have 16.5 meters drafts which are good for the country, but the country needs more than just one of these ports because of the increase in commercial activities in the future.
“We need just more than Lagos deep seaport and for me, before I leave office, I will emphasise on the construction of the Bonny deep seaport,” he stated.Amaechi revealed that the deep port will be completed in June and operational by September 2022.

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Customs

Customs threatens to arrest, prosecute air travellers carrying currency above $10,000 threshold without declaration.

-as Nigeria tightens its anti- money laundering laws
Gloria Odion 
The Nigeria customs service, in collaboration with other sister agencies, had engaged international airline operators in a sensitization exercise over the need to strengthen Nigeria’s anti- money laundering laws.
The sensitization programme, held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was meant to raise awareness on the importance of enforcing Nigeria’s currency declaration laws among inbound and outbound travellers.
The engemement addressed the role of airline personnel in ensuring compliance, especially in reminding passengers about declaration requirements through in-flight announcements, form distribution, and cooperation during customs checks.
Officials emphasised that any passenger carrying over the regulatory threshold, currently $10,000 or its equivalent, is required to make a declaration to the authorities.
Failure to comply, they warned, could result in seizure, investigation, and prosecution under Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
Additional requirements discussed included the mandatory submission of electronic manifests (e-Manifests) before aircraft arrival, as well as complete passenger details such as names, countries of origin and destination, and flight numbers, stating that these records allow customs and security officers to conduct targeted risk assessments and enhance border surveillance operations.
Assistant Comptroller of Customs in charge of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Unit, Salihu Mas’ud, led the engagement and expressed confidence in the outcomes.
According to him, the Service has already implemented several operational tools to support effective enforcement.
“What we have achieved so far is to be able to sensitise them. We’ve gone round to check all the points.
” We have dedicated search rooms for secondary searches. There are dedicated posts for currency declarations, and they are in place.
” Announcements are also being made on the Public Address System. We have also gotten the commitment of the airline operators to ensure that these announcements are also being made on board their flights,” he said.
He added, “We expect higher compliance, and it will strengthen our enforcement mechanism.
” It also ensures that defaulters and violators of currency declarations are detected promptly and forwarded for necessary investigation and prosecution.”
The sensitisation session highlighted the importance of inter-agency collaboration in securing Nigeria’s borders and preventing illicit financial flows.
With growing concerns over terrorism financing and smuggling of undeclared funds, the NCS said sustained partnerships with airline operators, airport authorities, and intelligence agencies will remain key to its success.
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Headlines

Opeifa reaffirms commitment to infrastructural upgrade, staff welfare at Northern District headquarters of NRC in Zaria

Funso OLOJO 
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has reaffirmed the commitment of the management of Nigerian Railway Corporation(NRC) to the upgrade of railway infrastructure and staff welfare at the Northern district headquarters of the corporation in Zaria.
Opeifa made the pledge while touring critical assets and infrastructure at the corporation’s district headquarters, Zaria in Kaduna state.
The visit was part of the Managing Director’s ongoing nationwide assessment tour of operational facilities and infrastructure under the Nigerian Railway Corporation.
During his time in Zaria, Dr. Opeifa met with district management and staff, inspected key installations, and reviewed ongoing and upcoming projects in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
As part of his engagement, Dr. Opeifa met with the Staff,Nigerian Union of Railwaymen (NUR), the Senior Staff Association (SSA), Pilot Drivers on training and the Pensioners.
He reassured railway pensioners that issues concerning outstanding pensions are already being addressed, and urged them to remain calm, adding that concrete steps are being taken to resolve all concerns.
“We understand the importance of pension to our retired personnel, and I want to assure you that everything necessary is being done,” Dr. Opeifa stated.
 “I will do all within my power to ensure that you receive what is rightfully yours.”
During the visit, Dr. Opeifa also toured key support facilities including the NRC Training School, the District Clinic, the Central Workshop, and the Permanent Ways Hotel.
He commended the efforts of the staff managing these facilities but emphasized the urgent need for upgrades and modernization to improve service delivery, staff welfare, and capacity building.
“To truly transform the Nigerian Railway system, we must also invest in our people, their health, their training, and the infrastructure that supports them,” he remarked.
In a show of gratitude and support, the Railway District Manager (RDM) of the Northern District Zaria , Engr. Adedeji Adewala Rasheed, thanked the Managing Director for the visit and reaffirmed the district’s commitment to the national vision.
“We are honoured by your presence, sir, and I assure you that the Northern District will always be ready to receive you at any time,” Engr. Rasheed stated.
 “The Iron Men of this district stand firmly behind you and will give you their full support to ensure that your objectives in transforming the railway system are fully achieved.”
Dr. Opeifa emphasized the importance of the Northern District to the national railway network, particularly in enhancing connectivity between key cities, boosting trade and agricultural logistics, and supporting economic development across the northern region.
“We are committed to revitalizing the railway system across the country, and Zaria remains a critical hub in this transformation,” he added.
 “Our focus is on efficiency, safety, and long-term sustainability, ensuring that the NRC meets the demands of a modern transport system.”
The Managing Director was warmly received by other senior officials, who briefed him on current operations, challenges, and areas of opportunity.
Dr. Opeifa assured the team of continued support and strategic interventions aimed at improving service delivery and expanding rail infrastructure.
This visit underscores the NRC’s dedication to closer engagement with its regional offices and stakeholders, reaffirming its mission to deliver reliable and world-class rail transport services for Nigeria.
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Headlines

NIMASA reaffirms confidence in indigenous technical ability in ship building and repairs

Funso OLOJO 
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has expressed confidence in the technological competence and abilities of indigenous engineers to carry out ship building and repairs locally.
Dr Mobereola made this assertion in Lagos during his visit to Nigerdock at Snake Island integrated Free Zone,where he had gone to inspect and assess  the ongoing maintenance work on the DB Lagos, a special mission vessel used for maritime surveillance and national security operations.
The vessel plays a vital role in combating oil theft, smuggling, illegal immigration, and other maritime crimes within Nigeria’s waters.
Speaking during the inspection, Dr. Mobereola expressed satisfaction with the progress made and described the project as a clear demonstration of Nigeria’s capability to handle sophisticated ship repairs and construction.
“What I am seeing here today is a testimony to the fact that we have the ability not only to repair but also to build here in Nigeria,” he stated.

He further emphasized that the inspection aligns with the vision of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who has prioritized the development of local capacity in shipbuilding and repairs.

 “We at NIMASA are demonstrating our belief in this vision by maintaining our own vessels here,” Dr. Mobereola added.

The visit underscores NIMASA’s drive to promote indigenous maritime infrastructure, enhance national security, and advance sustainable growth in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

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