The Nigerian Export Promotion Council says it is partnering with the Nigerian Ports Authority and other stakeholders to address bottlenecks associated with exportation.
To achieve this target, it has introduced the Domestic Export Warehouse initiative.
Speaking in Lagos during a sensitisation session on Domestic Export Warehouse in Lagos, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, NEPC, Ezra Yakusak, said that the initiative would be on a public-private partnership arrangement.
Yakusak lamented that it was more expensive to move items within Lagos than to move the same goods from China to Nigeria, adding that the situation was affecting exports in Nigeria.
“So, we just felt there was a need to look into that because it is affecting exports and jobs.”“Today’s sensitisation is about the Domestic Export Warehouse Initiative. The NEPC uses this initiative to curb supply chain constraints. You can see what is happening at the ports. You will appreciate the fact that to transport a 40-foot container from Lagos ports to China costs about $3500 but to transport that same 40-foot container from the port to Lagos mainland will cost about $4000 in the same country and state.
Explaining further, he said under the new arrangement, goods could be exported directly from warehouses without intervention by any security agency, stressing that the initiative would be connected to the electronic call-up system of the NPA.
“We invited other agencies like NPA, so we came up with the DEW initiative. When we identify a warehouse like a one-stop arrangement, the pre-shipment inspection agents will go there, inspect the goods and do whatever they need to do as if it were the ports. Once they are done, the goods would be loaded in a truck and the truck would not be stopped by any security agent.
“I need to tell you this, I just finished meeting with NPA Managing Director, Muhammed Bello-Koko. The DEW is in such a way that that it will be linked to the ETO call-up system of the NPA. Once the truck is sealed at the warehouse, it goes straight to the port for export.”
Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Director, Stakeholders Service, Nigerian Shippers Council, Celetine Akujiobi, said that the two agencies had been working harmoniously since 1990s.
“We work with the same stakeholders. This relationship has been symbiotic, and we want to encourage the agency and also thank them for their services.”
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of NPA, Muhammed Bello-Koko, via the official Twitter handle of NPA, announced that the agency had acceded to the NEPC’s request to mainstream DEW on the e-call up platform and link the initiative with export processing terminals to facilitate non-oil exports.
“The authority has acceded to NEPC’s request to mainstream the DEW on the e-call-up platform & link DEWs with EPTs and facilitate non-oil exports,” he said.
