APM Terminals Apapa, in a significant boost to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector, has reported a 25 percent increase in non-oil export throughput in the first half of 2024.
Its Chief Financial Officer, Courage Obadagbonyi made the announcement during the company’s second Exporters Forum held yesterday in Lagos.
Obadagbonyi said the terminal handled 51,000 TEUs in the first half of 2024 compared to 47,000 TEUs in the same period of the previous year.
He attributed this achievement to the terminal’s commitment to advancing the Federal Government’s economic diversification efforts by promoting non-oil exports.
“As a result of our efforts in this regard, we have recorded a 25 per cent increase of non-oil exports in throughput, handling 51,000 TEUs in the first half of 2024 compared to 47,000 TEUs in the same period of 2023,” he said.
He underlined how crucial non-oil exports are to the development of jobs, foreign exchange, and inflation control.
In order to maximise Nigeria’s potential for non-oil exports, Obadagbonyi advocated for increased funding for transport infrastructure, simplified export regulations, and superior goods.
The terminals’ Chief Commercial Officer Caroline Aubert-Adewuyi, during the forum, said it has taken steps to support non-oil exports growth by expanding its barge operations and improving logistics services to accommodate increased volumes.
According to Aubert-Adewuyi, the terminal had expanded barge slots and introduced new services, including a booking app and enhanced rail transport options.
“This forum is an opportunity to hear feedback from our customers to continue building products that will help exporters grow their businesses and grow Nigeria’s exports in the future,” she said.
Operations Head of the terminal, Riyaz Melekolangath, highlighted measures taken to improve efficiency, such as dedicated export lanes and extended gate access, which have drastically slashed export container turnaround times.
The forum, attended by industry leaders, provided an opportunity for exporters to share their feedback and engage with the terminal’s management.
Managing Director, Bueno Logistics Limited, Jetson Nwankwo, commended APM Terminals for its commitment to using rail for cargo evacuation, citing the environmental benefits of rail transport.
“It has been proven that the carbon emission of trains is less than the carbon emission of trucks. If you calculate it by using 10 dollars per pound of carbon, you will discover that APM Terminals can have an award of carbon credit that will be used to offset other expenses.
“If APM Terminals get some carbon credits, they can lower the rates they give on demurrage, storage or handling charges as the case may be,” Nwankwo suggested.
The Exporters Forum underscored APM Terminals’ role in promoting non-oil exports and highlighted the importance of continued collaboration between exporters and logistics providers in driving Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
Source: The Nation
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