Exporters of local products have complained about the extra charges that have been attached to the export terminal that was created by the port authorities to hasten the traffic flow of containers meant for export.
Speaking to journalists, the Chief Executive Officer of LWL Concept, Mr Wasiu Lawal, said that the new terminal is attracting extra charges to exporters which is reducing the possibility of local products competing in the international market.
According to Mr Wasiu, “We pay N34, 600 to make use of the ETP and if you miss your vessels and you want to validate, you will pay an additional N30, 000 to the shipping company. But before now we have not been paying anything apart from the terminal charges of N65, 000 and the local charges of N35, 000. We still pay for those things including the new ETP amount. You see that the stuff is coming with an additional cost which makes the stuff an extra cost to us.
“We need more government interventions and we need exports to be less expensive. We need more terminals because the ones we have now are overcrowded. So far it has both good and bad effects, because if we don’t have these terminals, the situation may be worse. We need more of these terminals because it can lead to more exports and also bring in bilateral relationships between Nigeria and other countries,” he added.
The management of the Nigerian Ports Authority had earlier revealed that over five export-processing terminals were approved to improve traffic in the port and boost agro-exports in the country.
During the public presentation of the export processing terminal licenses in 2022, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, NPA, Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko, represented by the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Mr. Onari Brown, said that movement of agro-export boxes arriving at the ports from Lagos & Ogun states shall only be allowed into the ports from any of the five EPT.
