The current Acting Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, has reiterated the service’s commitment to ensuring smooth operations at the Lekki Deep Seaport, recognizing its significant role in contributing to the national economy.
Following his initial official visit to the port in Lekki, Lagos, Adeniyi conveyed this assurance on Wednesday, as stated in a release on Thursday.
Adeniyi further elaborated that the NCS is fully dedicated to offering the essential assistance required at the port, aiming to enhance and facilitate trade activities in Nigeria, aligning with the service’s designated mandate.
He said, “We are coming with a shared understanding of what the Nigerian economy needs. We don’t need to look further than the investment we see here. We want to generate foreign exchange. We want foreign investment to come to Nigeria so that jobs can be created for our people and we can raise revenue. What we are seeing holds the promise and potential to achieve those objectives. As an agency of government, we will continue to be a partner with a shared vision. When we work together on major policy decisions, we will overcome any major issue that may arise.”
He characterized the Lekki Deep Seaport as a catalyst and a transformative factor that will significantly contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth, serving as a substantial revenue generator for the government due to its capability to handle large vessels.
Before this, the Managing Director of Lekki Deep Seaport, Du Ruogang, expressed gratitude to the newly appointed customs leader for accepting the port’s invitation to visit the facility.
“On behalf of the port promoters, China Harbour and Tolaram, we congratulate you on your appointment, and we wish you great success in your work as CG of Customs. Lekki Port is eager to cooperate with you to leverage technology and automation for more efficient customs operations,” he said.
Ruogang emphasized that the deep seaport is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and possesses all the attributes of a world-class port found in prominent locations such as China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Tangier.
He further stressed the significance of customs’ cooperation in ensuring the port’s success, stating that a streamlined and effective customs operation is crucial for attracting customers to utilize the port’s services.
Additionally, the CEO of Lekki Freeport Terminal, Mr. Yann Magarian, revealed that the commencement of commercial operations at the terminal has restored Nigeria’s position as the maritime hub of West Africa.
“In the few months of operations, we have achieved significant milestones at the Lekki Freeport terminal. These include increased productivity at Nigerian Ports using our state-of-the-art super post-Panamax cranes.
“This has allowed us to reduce operational hours on vessels while at berth; commissioning two of the fastest scanning machines in the country, which allows the scanning of containers in less than 1 minute and the commencement of transshipment services in Nigeria. This is the first of its kind. We are progressively returning container trade lost to neighbouring West African ports”, he said.
