NPA Flags Off Ikorodu Export Processing Terminal

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) flagged off the first non-oil export processing terminal in Ibeshe-Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Friday 11th March 2022, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda to diversify the national economy and reduce reliance on oil exports.

The event takes place ahead of the official opening of ten (10) certified Export Processing Terminals in Lagos and Ogun.
The Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, spoke at the EssLibra Terminal in Ibeshe-Ikorodu, imploring all agencies involved in the export processing value chain to deploy adequate personnel and collaborate to ensure efficiency and quick turnaround in the processing of export cargoes.

While praising EssLibra’s management for the high quality of the terminal’s facilities, he assured them that NPA would remove any obstacles to the smooth handling of locally manufactured exports and agro-allied commodities.

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Bello Koko urged the terminal’s management to resist the temptation to diverge from the facility’s original purpose of export processing, as the rationale is to create a one-stop shop where all inspection, consolidation, and stuffing of export-bound cargo will be done in a synchronized manner, eliminating all delays that have previously made Nigeria’s non-oil exports uncompetitive.

Bello Koko went on to say that under his leadership, the NPA would effectively implement all government policies aimed at promoting exports and strengthening indigenous capacity through the promotion of local content.

“We recognized local content in the terminal’s certification process, and because of the multiplier benefits to the host community, I expect the host community to take ownership of this terminal and support its operations,” he said.

Mr. Yemi Adunola, Managing Director of EssLibra Nigeria Limited, thanked the Authority and its technical partners, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), for their unwavering support while giving the NPA management team a tour of the terminal. He stated that his company is ready to provide efficient services and that it is committed to continuous improvement through sustained investments in human capital and the necessary technology.

The EssLibra Terminal is a fully integrated logistics off-dock facility capable of handling all export activities, including stuffing, on-site customs clearance, and barging.

An Export Processing Zone, Trailer Park, RoRo facility, and Fuel Dump are all part of the 120,000-square-meter terminal. Among other on-demand cargo equipment, the operator offers over 100 dedicated trucks, seven barges, two cranes, and eight container handlers.