Abuja: A trade expert, Mr. Okey Ibeke, has attributed the surge in commercial activities in Nigeria’s South-East region to significant reforms in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) under the leadership of Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi. These reforms have been pivotal in reshaping commerce in the region.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the activation of the Onitsha River Port and the expansion of bonded terminals across the South-East have notably reduced trade bottlenecks. Mr. Ibeke, who serves as the Principal Consultant at International Trade Advisory Services Ltd, emphasized how these initiatives have eased trade challenges for importers and manufacturers. The operationalization of the Onitsha River Port as a customs cargo destination is transforming logistical narratives by facilitating the direct movement of containers and bulk cargo through the River Niger to Anambra State. This development has significantly shortened supply chains for businesses in the region, reduced demurrage, and lowered risks associated with extensive road transportation.
Since June 2023, the administration of Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi has pursued policies aimed at transforming the NCS from a mere revenue-collection entity to a comprehensive trade-facilitation institution. This strategy, focused on consolidation, collaboration, and innovation, has not only enhanced revenue and anti-smuggling efforts but also addressed barriers that previously hindered legitimate commercial activities, particularly in the hinterlands.
Historically, traders and manufacturers in South-East regions such as Aba, Nnewi, Onitsha, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo faced high costs and long delays as imports had to be cleared in Lagos or Port Harcourt before being transported over challenging roads to their destinations. The activation of the Onitsha River Port changes this narrative, allowing manufacturers in Nnewi and traders in Onitsha Main Market, among others, to access cargo closer to their commercial bases. This shift reduces logistics costs and accelerates turnaround time.
Mr. Ibeke noted that the river port initiative is bolstered by the aggressive licensing of bonded warehouses and terminals by customs across the South-East states. These bonded terminals provide facilities where imported goods can be transferred, stored, and cleared closer to their markets, decongesting seaports and enhancing compliance domestically.
The reforms are already delivering economic benefits to the region’s key industrial and commercial clusters, including Aba’s garment and leather hubs, Nnewi’s automotive manufacturing base, and Onitsha’s major trading networks. Additionally, these reforms are creating jobs in sectors such as banking, logistics, insurance, and freight services, as well as businesses around the emerging inland trade corridors.
Mr. Ibeke also highlighted the potential for the policy to strengthen export growth. By enabling agro-processors and manufacturers in the South-East to pool cargo through bonded terminals and transport it via inland waterways to coastal ports, the region’s export capabilities could be significantly enhanced.
Nonetheless, challenges such as inadequate dredging of the River Niger, limited barge capacity, and poor road connectivity around Onitsha must be addressed for sustained success. Mr. Ibeke called for stronger coordination among the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, Nigerian Ports Authority, and state governments to maximize the benefits of the initiative. He emphasized that trade facilitation extends beyond digitization to include the removal of physical and structural bottlenecks that inflate the cost of commerce.