Nigeria loses billions of naira each year to congestion, paperwork delays, and inefficiencies at its ports—costs that are ultimately passed on to businesses and consumers.

Reducing cargo dwell time is seen as critical to lowering import costs, boosting trade competitiveness, and improving the ease of doing business.

What’s happening

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), working with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has concluded a three-day stakeholder engagement aimed at reducing cargo dwell time to seven days.

The meeting, held at the Lagos Port Complex in Apapa, brought together regulators and private sector operators under the Business Environment Enhancement Programme Accelerator (BEEPA).

It followed a “shadowing” exercise in which officials observed vessel berthing and cargo clearance processes at both Tincan Island Port and Lagos Port Complex.

Government’s position

Speaking at the session, PEBEC Director General Zahrah Mustapha said the focus was shifting from identifying problems to implementing solutions.

“Nigeria loses significantly every day due to operational inefficiencies,” Mustapha stated.

“These are not just numbers; they represent missed opportunities, jobs not created, and delayed economic growth. This reform is about resilience and unlocking the nation’s economic potential.”

She said the reform effort brings together regulators and private sector players to ensure transparency and accountability.

According to PEBEC, the goal is to reduce cargo dwell time while also improving vessel turnaround time at Nigerian ports.

NPA response and reforms

Earlier, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Abubakar Dantsoho, reaffirmed the agency’s support for PEBEC’s reform agenda.

He said the NPA is working with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to deploy a Port Community System (PCS).

The system is expected to serve as the digital backbone for Nigeria’s National Single Window, helping to eliminate manual processes and align port operations across agencies.

The NPA says this digital shift will reduce bottlenecks and speed up cargo processing.

Track record

The Ports Authority noted that it achieved a 100% success rate in implementing PEBEC reforms.

In 2025, the NPA ranked fifth among government agencies assessed, recording an 84.2% compliance score.

Officials say this performance provides a foundation for deeper reforms at the ports.

Industry and public impact

For importers and exporters, faster cargo clearance could mean lower storage costs, fewer delays, and more predictable supply chains.

What’s next

PEBEC and the NPA say the recommendations from the engagement will be rolled out in the coming months.

They aim to close gaps identified during the port inspections and create a more efficient maritime environment to support seamless trade.

Adron Group has congratulated Ogun State and Governor Dapo Abiodun on the state’s 50th anniversary, describing the milestone as a celebration of progress, resilience, and shared achievements.

In a statement signed by its Board, management, and staff, the company praised the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun and the people of Ogun State for sustaining a legacy of development over five decades.

“Ogun State has remained a beacon of progress, intellectual excellence, and enterprise,” the company said.

The firm noted that since its creation, the state, popularly known as the Gateway State, has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s socio-economic development through education, industry, and cultural heritage.

Industry perspective: Business and housing growth

Adron Group, a major player in Nigeria’s real estate sector, said its own growth is closely linked to Ogun State’s business-friendly environment.

“Ogun State has been more than a host—it has been a strategic partner and enabler,” the statement said.

According to the company, the state’s investor-friendly policies, strategic location, and governance structure have supported its mission of delivering accessible and sustainable housing solutions to Nigerians.

Government and development focus

Adron Group also commended the current administration for prioritising infrastructure development, economic expansion, and inclusive governance.

“This Golden Jubilee is a celebration of foresight, sacrifice, and collective achievement,” the company said, adding that the state’s founding fathers, past leaders, and citizens laid a strong foundation for today’s progress.

The firm expressed optimism that the coming years would bring increased opportunities and prosperity for residents and investors alike.

What’s next for Ogun State?

As Ogun enters its next phase, experts say sustained investment in infrastructure, housing, and human capital will be critical to maintaining momentum.

For businesses like Adron Group, the expectation is that continued collaboration between the public and private sectors will drive long-term growth and job creation.

Nigeria will host a high-level policy engagement under the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2026 on Wednesday, January 28, with a focus on translating development commitments into measurable national outcomes.

The meeting, convened by Sterling One Foundation in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, the United Nations System, and other partners, will take place at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.

More than 200 senior leaders from government, the private sector, development institutions, civil society and the diplomatic community are expected to attend.

The talks come as Nigeria and other African countries face growing pressure to accelerate progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with just five years remaining.

Why this matters

Nigeria continues to grapple with challenges including out-of-school children, youth unemployment, skills gaps, financial exclusion, and gender inequality.

Organisers say the engagement is designed to move beyond dialogue and ensure policies are backed by financing, innovation and accountability.

The platform will focus on inclusive economic growth, foundational learning, women and youth empowerment, and institutional reform, aligning public policy with private sector investment and development finance.

From continental promises to national delivery

The ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement is positioned as a national follow-up to commitments made at previous Africa Social Impact Summits.

According to the organisers, it aims to embed ASIS recommendations into Nigeria’s policy ecosystem and mobilise capital toward measurable SDG outcomes.

Now in its fifth year, ASIS has emerged as a private sector-led continental platform, co-convened by Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations, to drive collaboration around Africa’s social and economic priorities.

Key initiatives to be unveiled

Several flagship initiatives will be launched at the engagement.

They include the Business Coalition for Education (BCE) and the Nigeria Foundational Learning Fund, which target literacy and numeracy and seek to address Nigeria’s large population of out-of-school children.

Also to be launched is Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion (WYFEI) Nigeria, the country’s flagship platform for advancing women and youth economic empowerment.

WYFEI Nigeria will serve as the national implementation platform for the African Union’s WYFEI programme, using compact-based delivery, co-investment frameworks and performance accountability.

What leaders are saying

Speaking ahead of the engagement, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said:

“Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on how effectively we mobilise the private sector, development partners, and public institutions around shared national priorities. This engagement marks a critical step toward delivery-driven partnerships that unlock the full potential of our women and youth, strengthen human capital, and accelerate inclusive growth.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Mrs Olapeju Ibekwe, said the focus of ASIS 2026 was shifting decisively toward implementation.

“ASIS 2026 High Level Policy Engagement represents a pivotal shift from conversation to national execution. By deliberately aligning policy, innovation, and financing, we are catalysing a framework that enables solutions to scale, delivering real impact for millions of Nigerians while positioning Nigeria as a leader in Africa’s sustainable growth agenda.”

What’s next

The engagement will also feature the adoption of the WYFEI Nigeria Declaration, a national statement of intent to be endorsed by government leaders, CEOs and development partners.

The declaration commits signatories to coordinated action aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s women and youth dividend.

Organisers say outcomes from the meeting will feed into long-term policy reforms, capital mobilisation strategies and measurable implementation frameworks across Africa’s largest economy.

Big picture

Anchored within the UN SDG Stimulus Framework and aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement positions Nigeria as a test case for translating global and continental commitments into national action.

The convening forms part of a wider post-ASIS national action series designed to move from dialogue to systems reform, financing, and measurable social impact.