NPA, PEBEC push reforms to shorten Cargo Dwell Time

By Godwin Oritse

In a renewed drive to enhance port efficiency and ease of doing business, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has engaged the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) on strategies to reduce cargo dwell time at the nation’s seaports.

The engagement, held at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, followed an extensive “shadowing” exercise during which officials observed real-time vessel berthing and cargo clearance operations at both the Tin Can Island and Lagos Port complexes.

The session, titled “Achieving a 7-Day Cargo Dwell Time,” brought together the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee (PCEC) under the Business Environment Enhancement Programme Accelerator (BEEPA) framework. Hosted by the NPA, the initiative was aimed at streamlining port processes to improve efficiency and boost the ease of doing business.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of PEBEC, Ms. Zahrah Mustapha, said the engagement was designed to go beyond identifying challenges and focus on implementing long-overdue, practical solutions.

“Nigeria loses significantly every day due to operational inefficiencies,” Mustapha said. “These are not just numbers; they represent missed opportunities, jobs not created, and delayed economic growth. This reform is about resilience and unlocking the nation’s economic potential.”

She noted that the initiative integrates government regulators and private sector stakeholders to promote transparency and accountability, with the ultimate goal of reducing cargo dwell time and improving vessel turnaround time.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of the NPA, Mr. Abubakar Dantsoho, reiterated the Authority’s commitment to supporting PEBEC’s reform agenda. He highlighted the NPA’s collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to deploy the Port Community System (PCS), which will serve as the digital backbone for the National Single Window.

According to Dantsoho, the PCS is expected to eliminate manual bottlenecks, improve data sharing and synchronise port operations across agencies and stakeholders.

He recalled that the NPA recorded a 100 per cent success rate in the implementation of PEBEC reforms, ranking fifth among federal agencies in 2025 with an 84.2 per cent compliance rating.

The renewed collaboration, stakeholders said, is expected to significantly improve port efficiency, reduce costs for businesses and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and global trade.

The post NPA, PEBEC push reforms to shorten Cargo Dwell Time appeared first on Vanguard News.