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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has restated a strong desire to ensure free movement of goods and services along the Lagos-Abidjan international trade corridor by eradicating all negative factors involved. This it is implementing through effective collaboration and engagement with critical stakeholders.
‎This is contained in a release by the  Command’s image maker, Superintendent of Customs J.T. Ayagbalo,  on behalf of Comptroller Kaila, the Customs  Area Controller.
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‎While on  a series of familiarization visits  to the Palaces of traditional rulers and stations of heads of sister security agencies, the CAC announced that the step signifies a bold commitment to achieving the goals and objectives of the Service in line with the Federal government economic policies.
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‎At the Palace of Oba Akran of Badagry Kingdom, the Customs Area Controller condoled with the royal family and entire people of Badagry kingdom on the passing away of HRM De Wheno Aholu Menu Toyi I, a highly recognized traditional ruler across the border communities and beyond.
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‎””The purpose of my visit is to introduce myself as the Area Controller of Seme Command and to equally seek your royal blessing and support to achieve the core mandate of the service. Our priority remains to generate revenue, facilitate trade and suppress smuggling.  And we in the Customs believe that without due support and co-operation from traditional rulers, we cannot have effective performance of our functions as Customs officers” he said.
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‎In response, the King Regent, Chief Abel Ogunbiyi, described Kaila as a son of the soil, added: “We have listened to your request. Know that Badagry is a very peaceful town, and we will keep collaborating with you in safeguarding our borders and in promoting legitimate trade, ” he stated.
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‎Comptroller Kaila also visited the Onibereko of Ibereko Awori-Kingdom, where the monarch, Oba Israel Okoya where he signified his commitment to fostering the service’s relationship with residents living within the border  communities
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‎”I welcome you to Badagry and be rest assured that I will always talk to my people whenever the need is required. In our town, our youth does not engage in illegalities as I have no other choice than to assist you in achieving the government mandate, ” he stated.
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‎While at the Palace of Alapa of Apa Kingdom the king HRM Oba Oyekan Ajose Ilufemiloye commended and described the CAC, Comptroller Kaila as a professional, seasoned and well respected officer as described by indigenes of border communities.
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‎”I promise you that I will always assist you in my area for anything that you need. Our border here has been peaceful because our youth always listen to the elders, and I know with your present here, things will change for the better, ” he said
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‎In his efforts to consolidate on existing synergy between sister security agencies, the controller visited Headquarters of 653 Nigerian Air force base, Ahanve-Badagry. The Air Force  base formation expressed their readiness to always support the command in achieving its mandate. This was revealed by the Commanding Officer, Group Captain Hungruy  Medugu, where he added that both agencies shared similar purposes.
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‎”Our collaboration has been key to various successes we have recorded in our area of responsibility. Your presence here strengthens existing bonds of inter-agency collaboration between both Services, and we will not take it for granted ,” he said
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‎The Area Controller then ended his familiarization tour by seeking for mutual cooperation with a visit to the Republic of Benin Police office showing his readiness to eradicate hindrances affecting the free movement of goods and services across the border.
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‎Story by Dili Utomi.
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‎”I want to thank the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and his management team for giving me the opportunity to serve. Working in the kind of environment where I found myself requires great teamwork and as you can see around me now, I have my very efficient team always with me and so I am very proud to have this team. I also give glory to God for everything including the recognition that I got today”
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‎Above are some of the emotions that pervaded the atmosphere as the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) held its 2026 Conference and Awards with the theme: “Attaining Ports Efficiency In The Face Of Emerging Technology”.
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‎The Conference and Awards which took place Thursday at the Conference room of the Rockview Hotel, Apapa had in attendance big industry players. Chaired by the cerebral Barr. Jean Chiazor-Anishere SAN, the event delved  into major requirements to make the Nigerian ports more efficient.
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‎In her opening speech, the President of AMJON, Vera Osokpo noted that “Artificial Intelligence is clearing cargo in Singapore; Blockchain is tracking containers in Rotterdam while Ghana runs a 24-hour port with one platform”.
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‎”Meanwhile, UN-SEE-TAD says 90% of Nigeria’s trade pass through the ports. The World Bank says every day of delay cuts 5% of that trade. LCCI says we lose $19 billion a year to inefficiency”.
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‎She urged everyone present to ask for access to information, respect for the media, and sincerity of purpose.
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‎” Give us those three, and together we will tell the world that Nigerian ports can work”, she stated.
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‎In his presentation, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho who was represented by the Port Manager, Lekki Deep Sea Port, Mr. Emmanuel Anda, underscored the urgent need for accelerated port modernisation to position Nigeria for optimal benefits under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
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‎”Port modernisation is not merely an infrastructure project; it is a national economic priority”.
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‎Mr. Anda said that the development of deep seaports, particularly Lekki Port, is expanding Nigeria’s trade capabilities.
‎On digital transformation, he informed  that the NPA is advancing the Port Community System and supporting the implementation of the National Single Window to enhance stakeholder integration, reduce delays and improve transparency.
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‎He outlined key reforms being driven by the Authority, including infrastructure upgrades at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports aimed at boosting capacity, improving berth productivity and reducing vessel turnaround time.
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‎The Lekki Deep Sea Port Manager also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve operational efficiency through faster cargo clearance processes and reduced dwell time, as well as enhanced connectivity via rail links, inland dry ports, barging operations, and export corridor.
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‎In his own presentation, a former member of the Federal House of Assembly, Mufutau Egbeorongbe advocated for urgent adoption of emerging technologies to improve efficiency across Nigerian ports, warning that outdated systems are no longer sustainable in modern maritime trade.
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‎Mr. Egbeorongbe noted that “Ports serve as critical gateways for international trade and economic growth, but many continue to struggle with congestion, delays, high operational costs and infrastructure deficits. He noted that emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, automation, and digital twin systems are reshaping port operations globally.
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‎While speaking on the role of host communities, another attendee, Dr.Mike Egbeyalo noted that “Port host communities are critical stakeholders in maritime economies, yet they often bear disproportionate environmental and social costs of port operations”.
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‎He argued that prosperity requires a shift to sustainablilty-driven Port management anchored on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles.
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‎The award session saw several persons cart away laurels of different categories. The Award for the ‘Most Resourceful Manager of the Year 2025’ went to Mr. Emmanuel Anda.
‎According to his citation, Mr Anda attended Corona Nursery and Primary School,  Apapa before the prestigious Federal Government College Lagos after which he proceeded to the University of Lagos for his first degree. He also got his Master’s degree in Public Administration at the University of Lagos, majoring in Policy.
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‎Emmanuel Anda started work in February, 1993 as a Traffic Officer 11 in the  NPA. He rose through the ranks having worked in virtually all units in the Traffic Department.
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‎From the Port Exit Gates to the Car Parks, Container Terminals to Operations, he moved to the Administration unit and the Receiving section. He also worked in the Shed and Export units. Mr Anda has worked in Roro Port (Roll On Roll Off), Tin Can Island Port Complex proper, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, Lagos Port Complex to name a few. He has been member of several in-house committees, one of which advised on the Badagry Sea Port.
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‎Mr Anda was the pioneer NPA Manager at PTML Terminal in Tincan Island Port Complex.
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‎He was also the pioneer take-off Manager of the NPA Call-up system at Lilypond Ijora which later metamorphosed into Eto Call-up system.
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‎Mr Anda has been Terminal Manager, Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, acting Traffic Manager, Tincan Island Port Complex twice, substantive Traffic Manager, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, substantive traffic Manager, Lagos Port Complex and  now the Port Manager of Nigeria’s super bride Lekki Deep Seaport.
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‎Speaking on the sidelines concerning the success story of the Lekki Deepsea Port, he predicted that “over the next ten years, a lot of deep sea ports would have been fully been developed, what with ours, the Lekki Deep Sea Port in operation now and others like the proposed Dangote Deep Sea Port, Badagry, Ibom and Escravos Deep Sea Ports in the pipeline”.
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‎”The other sea ports currently operating as major ports but with shallow droughts shall become less relevant and more of transit points for cargoes, receiving transshipment from others”.
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‎In an interview, chairman of the occasion, Barr Jean Chiazor-Anishere commended AMJON for coming up with such a topical theme.
‎”We know that the world has gone digital,” she noted , “and there is a need for the media to tell the government about what it needs to do  in order for us to have the needful”.
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‎”The federal government, to me, is doing its best to automate the ports, what with the efforts to make the ports smart. Most of our ports are old and they are attempting to rejuvenate the existing ports as well as encourage the building of deepsea ports”, she concluded.
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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎In a high-stakes bid to secure a dominant position in intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho says the Federal Government is already stepping up an overhaul of the nation’s port system.
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‎Addressing industry stakeholders in Lagos, Dantsoho described port modernisation as a critical economic imperative that will shape Nigeria’s competitiveness in a rapidly integrating continental market.
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‎With AfCFTA lowering trade barriers across Africa, he warned that countries with faster, more efficient and technology-driven ports will capture a disproportionate share of cargo traffic and investment flows.
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‎“Nigeria’s geographical advantage alone is no longer sufficient,” he said.
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‎“Efficiency, speed, innovation and reliability will define leadership in this new era.”
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‎At the core of the NPA’s strategy is a broad reform programme targeting long-standing structural bottlenecks that have historically weakened Nigeria’s port competitiveness.
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‎Dantsoho highlighted ongoing infrastructure upgrades at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, aimed at improving berth productivity, expanding capacity and reducing vessel turnaround time—key indicators of port efficiency.
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‎He also underscored the growing role of deep seaports, particularly Lekki Port, in transforming Nigeria’s maritime landscape by accommodating larger vessels and boosting cargo throughput.
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‎Industry observers view these developments as crucial to easing congestion at legacy ports while positioning Nigeria to handle rising trade volumes expected under AfCFTA.
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‎Beyond physical infrastructure, the NPA is accelerating a shift toward digitalisation to tackle inefficiencies associated with manual processes and fragmented systems.
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‎Central to this transition is the Port Community System (PCS), alongside the Federal Government’s National Single Window initiative, both designed to integrate port stakeholders, streamline documentation and enhance transparency.
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‎Experts say full implementation could significantly cut cargo clearance times and reduce the cost of doing business—longstanding concerns among importers and exporters.
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‎Operational reforms are also underway, focusing on reducing cargo dwell time, improving service delivery and ensuring faster clearance processes across terminals.
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‎In parallel, the NPA is strengthening multimodal connectivity to support seamless cargo evacuation.
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‎Rail integration, inland dry ports, barging operations and dedicated export corridors are being expanded to decongest seaports and improve nationwide logistics efficiency.
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‎Dantsoho stressed that without efficient hinterland connectivity, gains made at the ports would be difficult to sustain.
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‎Recognising the scale of investment required, the NPA is also deepening partnerships with private sector investors and global operators to drive sustainable growth and align Nigeria’s ports with international standards.
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‎The expected impact of these reforms is significant: faster operations, lower logistics costs, increased trade volumes, higher government revenue and improved export competitiveness.
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‎Analysts note that efficient ports could play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s economic diversification drive, particularly by supporting non-oil exports and industrial expansion.
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‎In his concluding remarks, Dantsoho framed the Federal Government’s reform agenda as a decisive shift from inefficiency to performance, expressing confidence that Nigeria can emerge as a preferred maritime gateway to West Africa.
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