Council seeks stakeholders’ support on port automation

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Hassan Bello has called on stakeholders to support port automation system to enhance efficiency at the seaports.

Bello made the call in Lagos when he led management staff of the Council on a courtesy visit to the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

He said that with automation, Nigerian ports would be the regional maritime hub and preferred cargo destination.

Bello explained that automation would lead to increased revenue for the federal government, reduce human contact as well as address unwholesome practices at the ports.

According to him, “automation promotes efficiency, transparency and will stop all manual clearing procedures in the ports.”

In her remarks, President of LCCI, Nike Akande, stressed the need for collaboration between the chamber and the council to ensure the realisation of an enabling environment at the ports.

Akande said that there was need to make the ports investment friendly.

She said: “We know that the present administration in Nigeria is committed to rapid economic diversification as well as reforms in the maritime sectors.

“The decline in crude oil prices has considerably changed our development focus for good.”

She assured that LCCI would support the NSC’s aspiration of making Nigeria a regional maritime hub and investment friendly.