Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has stated that the Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) should be connected to the Domestic Export Warehouse (DEW).

For Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), it is intended to open up paths and improve port-hinterland connectivity.

The announcement was made by NPA’s managing director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, at the 2024 Lagos International Trade Fair, which was themed “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value,” in Lagos.

“The EPTs will be connected to Domestic Export Warehouses (DEWs) in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and other pertinent partners,” he clarified.

He claims that the authority is actively working to fully automate the country’s operations and procedures through the Ports Community System (PCS), which creates the framework for the National Single Window (NSW) to be implemented.

He continued by saying that the EPTs were designed in collaboration with the Nigerian Exports Promotion Council (NEPC) to act as a one-stop shop for the rapid stuffing, packaging, and certification of cargo headed for exports by removing the bureaucratic overlaps and duplications that previously made Nigerian exports uncompetitive in the global market.

Read Also: Unlocking Iyuku’s Potential: Philanthropist Advocates for Development in Mineral-Rich Community

According to him, the EPTs should work in tandem with the NEPC and other pertinent partners to connect with Domestic Export Warehouses (DEWs) in order to promote Port-Hinterland connectivity and set up avenues for SMEs to participate in the value chain.

According to him, the NSW is the global stratagem for providing the most value with the least amount of effort by facilitating smooth communication between all parties involved in the trade value chain at the touch of a button.