Lagos Ports: 60% Imports Retained in State, Says Customs

The Customs Area Controller, CAC of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, KLT, Command of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Timi Bomodi, has said that about 60 per cent of imported cargo through the Lagos ports do not go out of Lagos.

Bomodi who disclosed this while playing host to the new executive members of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria, MARAN, in Lagos, said this makes the movement of cargo out of the ports difficult.

Asked if the management of the Service has approached the Lekki port management to take advantage of the underutilised capacity, he said utilising the facility will be to the advantage of the new port as its operations increase.

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Bomodi noted that the undergoing road construction at that axis leading to the new the future if the construction work is not completed on it.

He explained that all the Lekki port management need to do is to get ocean-going barges with the capacity to carry about 200 each to move the excess consignments to KLT.

Recall that the management of Lekki port had earlier disclosed that they were in consultation with a company with ocean-going barges to commence shipment of cargo out of the port by barges.

Speaking while playing host to the Port Standing Task Team led by its National Coordinator, Moses Fadipe, Manager/ HSE & Community Liaison Officer of Lekki Port, Adurayemi Ogundele said it is exploring the possibility of evacuating cargo from the port by oceangoing barges.