FG seeks private sector investment in seaport scanning technology

The federal government has advocated exploring public-private partnerships to oversee the installation and maintenance of scanning technology at the nation’s seaports to sustain efficiency and foster innovation in cargo inspection processes.

The submission was made at a strategic meeting towards enhancing port efficiency for effective trade facilitation in Abuja, attended by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola; Minister of Transportation; Said Ahmed Alkali; the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria.

As part of efforts to ensure ports efficiency and competitiveness, the ministers and the Customs boss agreed that physical inspection of cargoes at the ports must be phased out to open the ports and foster seamless cooperation for trade facilitation.

The submissions were contained in a statement jointly signed by the spokesperson to the minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Ismail Omipidan and the Customs spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada.

The ministers acknowledged the pivotal role of Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology (NIIT) in actively decongesting ports while entrusting the Customs boss with the mandate to champion and prioritise cargo scanning over traditional physical examination methods.

They also encouraged private investors to invest in the installation and maintenance of scanners at the nation’s ports.They further resolved to ensure a new rail construction that will bypass the fixed scanner at Apapa port to ensure the unhindered progression of the scanning process during crucial infrastructure development.

They also resolved to rectify and optimise all existing scanners at prominent ports such as Apapa, Tincan Island, Onne, and PTML, while the existing mobile scanners will be strategically deployed to facilitate expeditious cargo inspections simultaneously.

The Managing Director of NRC, while speaking against the backdrop of rail track construction, concurred on a pragmatic approach by agreeing to bypass the fixed scanner at Apapa.

Okhiria further pledged the continued commitment of the corporation to freight cargoes by rail to Inland container depots/dry ports, as a strategic move to alleviate congestion at major ports. He said plans were unveiled for the efficient evacuation of containers from Port Harcourt to Aba, with future extensions envisaged for Onne Port.