Lack of indigenous shipping companies cost Nigeria $9bn in 2015- Shippers’ Council

Nigeria loses about $6billion annually owing to the lack of indigenous shipping companies in the ownership and operation of international carriage of goods, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) says.

According to the Executive Secretary of the Council, Hassan Bello, who spoke on Thursday during a training for journalists, it had become imperative to move for the speedy implementation of the National Fleet which would reduce the loss and boost the country’s economy.

He said, “The annual freight cost is estimated at about $5bn and $6bn annually. I am just giving you a base figure of 2015.

“Nigeria lost $9bn in 2015 for freight because Nigerians don’t own or operate ship in the international carriage of goods and also on the wet cargoes, and that is why it is important we pursue this issue of National Fleet implementation.

“Our cadets are there being trained but they don’t have ship time because there are no ships. We need to have those ships and all hands must come together to achieve it.”

Bello hinted that the Council in partnership with NIMASA would also embark on investment drive in order to have private sector participation in the indigenous shipping.

“The advantage of having national fleet is for our national pride. We need to see ships flying Nigerian flag.

“It is not rocket science, all we need to get it running is private sector participation. The private sector should lead the way and what the Committee for the fleet implementation is doing is to create that investment climate so that investors will come and make it a worthwhile venture,” he stated.

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