The Nigerian government has concluded its plans to digitize and automate the Nigerian ports, a move which the Ports Authorities said would align the ports with ports in other countries, reducing clearance time, encouraging transparency and boosting revenue.
Radio frequency tracking of vessels laden with cargoes will shorten the time of vessel at anchorage, as well as reducing the dwelling time of containers at the terminals and cargoes at the warehouses, according to Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) Hassan Bello.
The automation will cost the council more than NGN1bn ($3.2m), he said. “Automation is a very expensive project but automation of the ports is not exclusive to Shippers Council…. Nigerian Shippers Council is spending a little above NGN1bn for the automation of our system.