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NBCC Urges Vibrant Export System To Improve Trade Balance

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The President,  Nigerian-
British Chamber of Commerce Mr Adeyemi Adefulu, has called for a vibrant export system to improve the nation’s economy and balance of trade with Britain.
Adefulu told the our correspondent recently that Nigeria could leverage on the large population of Nigerians in the Diaspora by increasing its existing export to Britain.
“There are nearly three million Nigerians living in Britain. There are more Nigerians living in Britain than anywhere else in the world outside of Nigeria.
“That is a market into which we should be exporting daily. There are lots of goods that can be exported to Britain. It is a natural market for our export, even for food.
“But you will be surprised that at this point in time more than 80 per cent of food Nigerians in Britain eat are exported by other countries and not Nigeria.
“Pineapple and yam come from Ghana; Garri is being exported from Ghana, even though they do not eat garri much in Ghana.
“The same thing with cassava ‘foo-foo’ otherwise called ‘Akpu’ which the Ibos here eat, they have the equivalent in Ghana which is being exported to our people in Britain.
“Banana and plantain come from Costa Rica, even ‘Ewedu’ comes from Egypt, the Nile. These are things we should be exporting daily,’’ he said.
Adefulu said that managing the process, value chain and product quality becomes imperative for Nigeria to harness and benefit from the existing bilateral trade with Britain.
“You will not be dumping your plantain and banana the way we dump them here and they will find acceptance. It is only in Nigeria that such will sell they will not sell in other places.
“When a bunch of plantain is harvested, they hang it like that and then export them properly with respect.
“We must give emphasis to quality because Nigerian products have bad storage system and that is affecting everything we do.
“When the products get there, they will reject it because they know we will not comply with the quality standards,’’ Adefulu said.
He urged the government to build infrastructure to support export and create the right financial environment and encourage training of operators who are adding value to export promotion in the country.
“If export thrives, the trade is worth several billions, but you must build the necessary infrastructure; put the right financial intermediation in place and train your exporters.
“There are many goods that can be exported, including flowers and vegetables but when you get to our airports there are no cold room facilities there.
“The goods get to the airport in the morning, remain in the sun all day, by the time they are exported in the evening, they are dead.
“That is a great discouragement for export. If we really want to get export right, these are things that must be attended to.
“In Ghana, all those agricultural products, do not queue. They are given a fast track to the top of the line. They are treated as national priority,’’ Adefulu said.
He urged the government to give the necessary buffer and support to exporters by looking at the risk and help them to mitigate it.
“The government must take it as an article of faith for the survival of our economy,’’ he said.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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