NPCC, APM Terminals Strengthen Ties To Tackle Port Challenges, Drive Innovation

The Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC) and APM Terminals (APMT) have agreed to deepen collaboration on policy advocacy, digitalisation, capacity building, and environmental sustainability, in a renewed bid to drive more efficient port services.

The agreement emerged during a high-level meeting in Lagos on Tuesday, 19 August 2025, where both parties pledged to work together to address bottlenecks stifling port operations and trade competitiveness.

Speaking during the meeting, the NPCC Chairman, Mr. Bolaji Sunmola, explained that the Council is a private-sector-led platform, not a government body, and driven primarily by member contributions and stakeholder support.

With membership open to all port users – including terminal operators, shipping firms, logistics providers, truckers, unions, and regulators – the NPCC operates from Lagos, but plans to establish a presence in Abuja to better serve stakeholders across the north.

Sunmola spoke on the Council’s recently launched bi-annual training sessions, with the maiden edition focusing on onshore and offshore port operations, held just two weeks ago in Lagos.

The Council assured APM Terminals of its readiness to provide advocacy platforms, stakeholder coordination, and constructive dialogue on pressing challenges. It stressed an urgent need for a more efficient single-window system to reduce costs and delays.

In his response, the APMT’s Country Managing Director, Mr. Frederik Klinke, acknowledged NPCC’s growing role in stakeholder engagement, likening it to the European Chamber of Commerce model.

He noted that APMT currently handles nearly half of Nigeria’s containerised trade volume but faces mounting pressure from rising charges, regulatory inconsistencies, and foreign currency-denominated levies that burden operators and users.

Klinke, however, expressed APMT’s commitment to Nigeria despite the operational challenges, while he welcomed NPCC’s advocacy and watchdog role as a necessary complement to private operators’ calls for reform.

Both parties would explore collaboration opportunities, including joint policy engagements with government, co-hosted training workshops, and support for digital cargo clearance platforms.