The Kaduna Inland Container Port started out as an initiative of Inland Containers Nigeria Limited a company founded since 1982 by the Federal Government at the time.

The Government divested significant interest but maintained sufficient interest as would be required to guarantee the functioning of the facility.

Thus they were able to get the Federal Government to Gazette the designation of Kaduna Inland Dry Port in 2015


More in the Interview below

See links

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/fg-grants-port-status-to-kaduna-inland-container-depot/

https://www.nairaland.com/2444562/fg-grants-kaduna-container-depot/1

http://shippingposition.com.ng/content/why-we-gazetted-kaduna-inland-dry-port-icnl-boss



‘The Kaduna dry port has great potential to boost the economy’

By Dickson S. Adama, Kaduna | Publish Date: Nov 23 2014 4:00AM

Toyin Mohammed Ahmed is the Depot Manager of Inland Containers Nigeria Limited, Kaduna.

In this interview, Ahmed spoke on the importance of dry ports, their advantages in providing vital port services to business people in the hinterlands and the potential of the Kaduna dry port to boost the nation’s economyWhat informed the establishment of this facility, Inland Containers Nigeria Limited?

Inland Containers is an integrated shipping and logistics company. Establishing this company was an original idea of the federal government to, among other objectives, decongest the Lagos ports so that the business men in the hinterlands, especially areas of the country distant from the coast, large river or sea, will not have to undergo a lot of trouble going to Lagos before they can do their businesses of importing, exporting and clearing of goods.

This means that all the activities going on at the seaports can also be done here. The only difference here is absence of water. All the government agencies like Customs, NAFDAC and NDLEA that are supposed to be at the seaports are also present here.

The company was established in 1982. Prior to its establishment, there had been a similar company in Kano established two years earlier. We are working at upgrading the facilities here so the port can be fully backed up by the enabling clause to enable it operate as a full-fledged dry port of international standard. You can see some structures being erected or installed here and there. These are parts of the requirements necessary for a dry port to attain international standard.

Who exactly are your target clients?

We handle imported containerized goods. We also handle agricultural produce and other export items. Importers and exporters can use this place as their points of destination and origination.

Using this port has a lot of advantages. Security of goods is guaranteed. Goods are safe here because they come here directly without being tampered with, as it happens in seaports. We have the licence to transfer containers under bond, i.e. from abroad to this place. But on the bill of lading, it has to be indicated that the goods are in transit to the Inland Container Depot, Kaduna. When the goods get to Lagos, we will only do the necessary documentation and transport them either by rail or by road to the depot. With the seal on them from abroad, nobody has the right to tamper with them, not even the Customs and other relevant government agencies. It is when the containers arrive here that the Customs and other government agencies can examine them.

Again, clearance of goods here is fast; there are no unnecessary delays.

You said the original idea to establish this depot was the federal government’s How involved is the federal government in it now?

Initially, it was fully owned by government, but now the federal government has sold a majority of its shares out to private individuals. The major shareholder of the company now is the Chrome Group Nigeria Limited, owned by a Nigerian company. The Chairman is Mr. Tope Borishade.

NICON Insurance plc also owns some percentage on behalf of the federal government, and there is also Dantata Investment and other staff members.

What has been the federal government’s level of commitment since it sold out its shares?

The federal government has not, and cannot wash its hands off this type of industry, by virtue of the nature of the depot’s activities and the rules and regulations guiding its operations. Government is regulating the industry through the Nigeria Shippers Council. The Kaduna state government too is involved.

You said the Kaduna state government, too, has a stake in it How?

The state government is not unconscious of the fact that having this kind of facility here is of immense economic benefits to the state. Anywhere you site a port, there will be a lot of activities with resultant effects like employment opportunities, revenue generation and other direct and indirect benefits to the state government.

It is mandatory that any state that accommodates this type of facility meet certain statutory obligations in terms of providing infrastructure like stable electricity supply, good access roads and water. The Kaduna state government is collaborating well with us in providing these three amenities. They have provided this facility a separate high tension cable, a transformer and a 250kv stand-by generator equipped with an inverter in case of power failure.

Now the next stage is reconstructing the access road and working on drainage within the facility area. They have assured us work is on-going on this, as they also assured us on water

How has this initiative impacted on the employment issue?

We are still at the stage of facility upgrading. When it is fully backed up by the enabling law to operate as a full port of international standard, the employment profile will rise appreciably. At the moment, we have just a light number of staff.

Are they permanent workers?

For now, we have an average of 15 permanent staff in Kaduna. The Kano Inland Depot has its own staff while our head office in Lagos also has its own. These are the permanent workers we have. But there are indirect or contract staff as well.
When do you project the depot will start full operations?

We are trying our best to see what we can do before the year runs out. In fact, it is supposed to have taken off but you know how it is when things involve many parties. One party may be ready while the other isn’t. But all things being equal, we are looking at the end of the year and early part of next year.

The taking-off depends on how early we are able to finish work on the upgrading that we are doing, and of course, the amenities that the Kaduna state is providing. I told you that there is a regulatory body, which is the Nigeria Shippers Council. Its officials will still have to come around to inspect what is on ground before it will be approved as a full port of international standard.

Are here and the Kano Inland depot on the same level? Which one is bigger?

The Kano facility will remain an inland containers terminal, while here will be upgraded to an inland containers depot. A depot is bigger than a terminal. So, that of Kaduna will be bigger than that of Kano by virtue of its mode of operation and status.
What are the constraints stifling early take-off and operation generally?

One challenge is the many parties involved, because some parties are not executing their own part on time. If we finish our part and the others do not, we will not achieve the end result we are looking for.

Another challenge is that so many people are not aware of the existence of these facilities here. They still travel to Lagos spending extra money, living in hotels, taking risks and so on, unaware they can come to this place and do whatever they want to do at the Lagos ports. They can complete their importation process here, as they can export their goods from here without necessarily going to Lagos.

Again, there is the security challenge. Some people are afraid of the insurgency issue and so prefer to clear their goods in Lagos. But then, we thank God things are under control and so it is high time they realized the advantage of using this place. Apart from saving cost, they will have rest of mind. We take care of their goods once they summit their documents to us. Their goods are secure because the containers will be escorted under bond and Customs escort.

So how do you appeal to port users?

This type of facility is grossly under-utilized. I am using this opportunity to tell them that they stand to benefit a lot from using here than going to Lagos only to encounter all sorts of hardship.
It is easier, better and faster for them to clear their goods here at the Kaduna depot. They should utilize the facility here to improve their businesses.

The federal and state governments should pay maximum attention to this facility and play their own roles well. This facility has the capacity to boost the nation’s economy.



https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/business/18807-the-kaduna-dry-port-has-great-potential-to-boost-the-economy

A competition for Buhari supporters. Since this Man has done great for Nigeria, please show us a picture of infrastructural project he initiated and completed in his two tenures (1984 and now) and win N1000 air time of any network of your choice.

Support with hard prove.
BMC over to you.

Lalasticlala front page immediately.
Is time for people to know the truth avoid being deceived by Zombies

Trust Buhari to claim it as his initiative.

Is it only lies this govt is good at?
Vegetable govt said that buhari is going to establish 6 Inland ports. That they will be located in Maiduguri, Funtua, Aba, Jos, Kano etc. Unfortunately for the rudderless govt, these projects were already in existence before buhari came to power in 2015. Many of these Inland ports have been under construction since since OBJ's govt.
How this vegetable govt are trying to hijack them for politics is mind blowing.

APC govt has no hand in the establishment of all Inland Container Ports in the country. All these projects were brainchild of previous govts.

Sad

nnachukz:
A competition for Buhari supporters. Since this Man has done great for Nigeria, please show us a picture of infrastructural project he initiated and completed in his two tenures (1984 and now) and win N1000 air time of any network of your choice.

Support with hard prove.
BMC over to you.

he initiated propaganda and commissioned lies

Any human being of sound mind knows the dullard cant intitiate anything useful , if not for his coup in 83 Shagari would have since commisioned the place

alexlife:



he initiated propaganda and commissioned lies

I'm surprised that those who sing his praises have not seen anything to post here.
Can the mod move this to fp let's see who has something to post.

Conscience nurtured by truth

So the idea was born in 1982 buhari should not commission it for the use of Nigerians?


He has commission it.Go n die!