The Nigerian Ports Authority has said that out of the 10 vessels expected at Tincan Island Ports between Friday and Monday, two of them carrying 69.5 million metric tonnes of bulk wheat discharged through the Tincan Island in Lagos Port on Friday.
This is even as another vessel carrying 35,000 metric tonnes of bulk salt also discharged at the same port on the same day.
According to the Daily Shipping Position by the NPA sighted on Sunday, these vessels with this consignment were all discharged at the Josepdam Ports Services Limited at the Tincan Island Port Complex.
The document added that other vessels with various consignments including 32,000MT of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) equivalent to 37.6 million litres were discharged on Friday and Saturday at Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Phase 2 and KLT Phase 3a.
“Also 400 units of used vehicles were brought in on Friday through the Ports & Terminal Multiservice Limited and another 300 units were brought in through the same terminal on Saturday. One vessel will be coming in with containers Monday while one came in with a container on Saturday,” NPA explained.
The PUNCH reports that the Federal Government announced the implementation of the import duty waiver programme on July 15, 2024, and the plan was that it would run through December 31, 2024.
It was designed to make essential food commodities more affordable, alleviating Nigeria’s severe food security challenges.
The food commodities include maize, husked brown rice, wheat, grain beans, and millet.
With inflation rates hitting record highs of over 32.70 per cent as at October and food inflation climbing to 37.77 per cent in September, the waiver scheme was expected to reduce the cost of importing essential food commodities.
