By Eguono Odjegba

IN a bid to realize the objectives of ease of doing business initiative and the attainment of 24hours ports operations, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, said it has commenced processes that will lead to the development of a National Trade Platform, NTP, a vehicle for trade facilitation in partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS.

Hadiza Bala Usma

Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, who dropped this hint weekend in Lagos during a presentation at the second edition of All Maritime Journalists Retreat organized by the Association of Maritime Journalist of Nigeria, AMJON, held at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, ASCON, Topo, Badagry, explained that the collaboration will be in three phases, import and exports, scanner and community system.

Consequently, Usman said NPA has established a new single interface station at each port nationwide, to capture, track and record information on all goods arriving and leaving Nigeria.

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She said, “The Authority is working with the Nigeria Customs Service to roll out a National Trade Platform, NTP, with three units, namely the single window platform (imports and exports), scanning services and port community system”, adding that the NTP has reached an advanced stage, and would cover both seaports and land borders.

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She continues, “As most of you already know, the ports play a significant role in the socio-economic development of any nation and you cannot talk of economic growth without the recognition of the fact that critical assets such as the seaports are the main facilitator of our collective prosperity as a nation.

“The hard infrastructures comprise physical elements such as the quay aprons and walls, ports internal roads, power plants, water works, lighting and security structures, channel maintenance among others.”