The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NCS) has described Nigerian ports’ cargo dwell-time and vessel turnaround statistics as “unacceptable”.

The current cargo dwell-time in Nigerian seaports is around 21 days with most businesses and importers lamenting the turnaround time.

The Council said it is targeting a reduction to the regional average of 7 days, matching what neighboring ports like Cotonou achieve.

This goal is part of the Council’s efforts to improve efficiency and ease of doing business in Nigerian ports.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Pius Akutah, pledged the Council’s readiness to work and reduce the cargo dwell time to match regional benchmarks.

Speaking at the Council’s Management Special Retreat themed “Achieving Strategic Intents Through Performance Lens,” in Lagos on Wednesday, Akutah, stated that the NSC has moved to a new era and can no longer afford to operate as a process-heavy, paper-driven bureaucracy but an outcome-driven institution focused on measurable results.

“Current cargo dwell time and vessel turnaround statistics remain unacceptable. We must work to ensure that cargo clearing timelines in Nigerian ports are reduced to match regional benchmarks.

“The days of manual processing must come to an end,” Akutah stated.

He directed the Regulatory Services and ICT units of the NSC to collaborate with terminal operators and Customs to develop an integrated dashboard for real-time tracking of vessel and cargo processing metrics.

The dash board, he said, will form part of the Council’s monthly performance reviews.

Akutah commended President Bola Tinubu’s “bold and reform-oriented leadership” and the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which he hailed as a catalyst for transforming Nigeria’s ocean economy.

He also lauded the leadership of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for galvanizing institutions within the sector, including the NSC towards innovation and measurable impact.

He asserted that the NSC must lead in facilitating trade, improving port efficiency, strengthening inter-agency coordination, accelerating port infrastructure delivery, enhancing stakeholder confidence, and mainstreaming sustainability across the logistics value chain.

Akutah mandated the full deployment of the Council’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system with 100% compliance across all departments by December 2025,

In his welcome address, the NSC Director, Strategic Planning and Research Department, Mr. Rotimi Anifowose, explained that the Management Special Retreat will witness the validation of the Council’s recently concluded strategic planning session, and the signing of the performance bond between the Executive Secretary and the Heads of Departments and Units. (Daily Trust)