PORT CONGESTION IN NIGERIA

Port congestion in Nigeria started many years ago,shotly after the oil boom. Nigerian as it is today is one of the largest markets in the whole world and the largest in Africa. Apart from oil,revenue from imports is the second largest.Yearly, Nigeria spends billions of dollars on imports. This no doubt took a toll on the existing port infrastructues which could not withstand the volumes of imports. Some of the reasons for thid includes but not limited to 1. Very poor port access roads 2. Using the ports as a storage area rather than a transit area 3. Unserviceable port equipments 4. Delays in the clearance of imported goods,arsing from Customs delays,too many institutionaal agenies,poor documentation,untrainned maritime personnel and a host of other factors. 5. Poor and frequent changes in government polices 6. Concellement and under declaration of imports in other to invaade customs duty and taxes. 7. Unserviceable trucks 8. Non stemming of goods to custos bonded terminals and the various inland container depots.