PEBEC Laments Massive Losses From Port Inefficiencies , As NPA Hosts Cargo Dwell Time Summit

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has voiced sharp frustration over crippling inefficiencies plaguing Nigeria’s port operations, warning that the nation is hemorrhaging economic opportunities daily.

In a three-day high-level stakeholder engagement hosted by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Lagos—titled “Achieving a 7-Day Cargo Dwell Time”—PEBEC’s Director General, Zahrah Mustapha, laid bare the human and economic cost of these delays.

The event, held at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC) in Apapa, followed hands-on “shadowing” exercises at Tincan Island and LPC, where officials witnessed vessel berthing and cargo clearance bottlenecks firsthand.

It united the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee (PCEC) under the Business Environment Enhancement Programme Accelerator (BEEPA) framework to push for streamlined processes and better ease of doing business.

“These are not just numbers; they represent missed opportunities, jobs not created, and delayed economic growth,” Mustapha lamented.

“Nigeria loses significantly every day due to operational inefficiencies. This reform is about resilience and unlocking the nation’s economic potential.”

She stressed integrating government regulators and private stakeholders for transparency, aiming to slash cargo dwell time and boost vessel turnaround.

The NPA Managing Director Abubakar Dantsoho affirmed support for PEBEC, spotlighting advances like partnering with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on the Port Community System (PCS)—the digital core for the National Single Window—to end manual hurdles.

Notably, NPA topped PEBEC reforms with 100% success and an 84.2% compliance rating, ranking 5th among agencies in 2025.