Shippers’ Council targets reduction in cargo dwell time, vessel turnaround time at ports

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has directed the immediate development of an integrated real-time port performance dashboard to tackle long-standing inefficiencies in cargo dwell time and vessel turnaround at the nation’s seaports.

Speaking at the Council’s Management System Retreat in Lagos, Executive Secretary of the NSC, Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, said the new system, to be developed jointly by the Regulatory Services and ICT departments in collaboration with terminal operators and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, will track key logistics indicators including cargo dwell time and vessel turnaround time.

Ukeyima stated that the metrics will now form part of a monthly performance report submitted to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

According to him, “Current cargo dwell time and vessel turnaround statistics remain unacceptable. We must work to ensure that cargo clearing timelines in Nigerian ports are reduced to match regional benchmarks.”

Speaking on the theme, “Achieving Strategic Intents through Performance Lens,” Akutah harped on the need for the NSC to transition from bureaucratic to a results-oriented organization, warning that all staff members and departments must produce quantifiable outcomes or risk punishment.

“We are in a new era. The Nigerian Shippers’ Council can no longer afford to operate as a process-heavy, paper-driven bureaucracy. We must now define our success not by our activities, but by our outcomes. Not by intentions, but by results.”

“The days of manual processing must come to an end. Our Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system must be fully deployed, with 100% compliance across all departments latest by December 2025.”

“By the end of Q3 2025, all internal memos, approvals, correspondences, and record-keeping must migrate to the ECM platform. Any department that fails to comply will face administrative sanctions.”

“The implementation of the Federal Government’s Performance Management System is non-negotiable. Each staff member, from the highest to the most junior, must be assessed against a clearly defined set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs),” he emphasized.

On infrastructure, the Council reiterated its commitment to the completion of the Kano, Jos, and Ogun Inland Dry Ports, while strengthening linkages with the Organised Private Sector Exporters’ Group to ease cargo evacuation and boost non-oil export earnings.

Also speaking, Director of the Strategic Planning and Research Department at NSC, Rotimi Anifowoshe acknowledged that the gathering was a significant milestone, with stakeholders gathering to validate the department’s recently concluded strategic planning session report and formally sign a performance bond between the Executive Secretary and Heads of Departments and Units.

Speaking to attendees, Anifowoshe stated that the event demonstrated the organization’s ongoing dedication to accountability, performance based on results, and ongoing service delivery improvement.

The purpose of the strategic planning session, according to him, is to reevaluate and realign the organization’s vision, mission, and goals in light of present changes and anticipated future developments.

“This is not merely a ceremonial exercise; it is a bold statement of leadership accountability and collective responsibility. The performance bond enhances institutional discipline, promotes transparency, and underscores a culture of results.”

He commended Akutah’s leadership and encouraged employees to be open and honest while continuing to be dedicated to innovation and quality, adding “Together, let us move forward with clarity, unity, and purpose.”