FG Aims to Cut Cargo Clearance to Seven Days at Ports

The Federal Government of Nigeria is working to reduce cargo clearance time at all Nigerian ports from the current 21 days to seven days. Princess Zahra Audu, the Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), announced this initiative during a press briefing in Abuja.

The council has identified prolonged cargo clearance as a significant barrier to trade, particularly in comparison to neighboring countries such as Benin Republic and Ghana. To achieve this goal, PEBEC has implemented joint cargo inspections and is transitioning from physical inspections to scanner-based inspections to optimize service and reduce turnaround times for vessels and containers.

Additionally, PEBEC established a committee in April 2026 to coordinate the efforts of various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) involved in port operations. The National Single Window initiative is also being utilized to unify documentation processes for imports and exports.

PEBEC has conducted multiple inspections of the ports to ensure the removal of illegal checkpoints and plans to continue these efforts for the next three years.