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Maritime Expert Dr. Oluwasegun Musa Offers Solutions to Nigerian Port Woes
By Prince Benson Davies
Renowned maritime expert, transport planner, and security consultant, Dr. Oluwasegun Mutairu Musa, has weighed in on the perennial issues plaguing Nigerian ports, offering insightful solutions to corruption, congestion, and delay. Dr Musa pinpointed inconsistency in government policy and the lack of automation in customs processes as primary contributors to the persistent congestion and delays at Nigerian ports.
During an exclusive interview with the New Experience newspaper in Lagos, Dr. Musa, who is also the Group MD of Widescope Group of Companies and CEO of Global Transport Policy, proposed solutions to address the longstanding challenges facing Nigerian ports.
These challenges include corruption, congestion, and delay, which have hindered the efficiency and competitiveness of the ports.
He emphasized that the Nigerian government’s inconsistency in policy has hindered the growth of indigenous capacity in the sector, allowing foreign multinationals to dominate the market.
Dr. Musa also expressed concerns about the introduction of Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN), which he described as a duplication of functions and costs. He advocated for the automation of customs processes, stating that physical interfaces with customs officials are the primary cause of bottlenecks, delays, and corrupt practices.
To facilitate trade and reduce congestion at the ports, Dr. Musa recommended a fully automated system where shipments are scanned upon arrival and customs clearance is done electronically. He emphasized that this process should take no more than two days.
As he put it, We’ve experimented with preshipment inspection; some complained that this is a waste of money; rather, it should be destination inspection. Then we commenced destination inspection, yet people are saying to the government, Let’s introduce cargo tracking notes; that’ll tell us what’s inside the shipment when it arrives.
“That’s intellectual fraud. Cargo tracking notes are the same as preshipment inspection; the notes will state the outcome of examining the cargos before they’re shipped to Nigeria. This amounts to duplication of functions and costs.
“Whoever is promoting this process is committing intellectual fraud. They’re taking advantage of the low knowledge available in our domain, and they want to make it appear as though they are introducing something unique, but it’s nothing special.
“To me, the easiest way to go is to actually continue with our destination inspection. The customs and clearance processes must be automated. Automation in the sense that when the shipment arrives at the ports, it goes through the scanners. There’s no need to see anybody physically.”
Dr. Musa’s endorsement comes at a critical junction as Nigeria strives to overcome the longstanding challenges of inefficient port operations, despite numerous initiatives aimed at reforming the sector.
