In response to the Acting President’s Executive Orders, the Nigerian Ports Authority has ordered that only officials of 7 approved government officials should remain in Nigerian ports. Thus, officials of all other agencies were to immediately vacate Nigerian ports.
Announcing this in a stakeholders’ meeting, the Managing Director of the NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman described her agency, the NPA as the landlord, while the approved tenants were the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Police, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Port Health Authority (PHA). Officials of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) were to be present at the port only when their services are required.
“We have issued the directives and our various officers have put in place the mechanism for implementing the executive order. The executive orders will enhance our operations and reduce the cost of doing business and improve the ease of doing business in our port.” Bala said.
While this directive signifies the desire of the agency to ease business activities at the ports, the recent announcement of a N70,000 royalty fee at the ports will send mixed signals to potential importers, who may decide against bringing their goods to Nigerian ports
