DjAndroid:
Before nko. Nigeria is on pause till 2019.

ZombieTERROR:

Confirmed naija youth
That's only thing we are good at
Surprised u didn't add Sai baba there

We are really doomed

postemail:
Regarding clearing in Apapa port, I think the major problem is the numerous tables and syndrome of 20 people doing the job of 1 man.

Getting assessment on the amount to pay (PAAR) government is straight forward. That takes a day.

Register your PAAR on customs website and printing assessment at DTI cafe takes a few hours. The problem here is there are custom guys at CPC office waiting to put alert on the same PAAR issued by custom HQ. If it's alerted, that means you should go and settle the "table" that put the alert. It could be admin's table, valuation desk etc. this will definitely take more than one day. Valuation desk might stretch to 2 days depending on negotiation for a compromise DN.

Booking a container for examination at Apapa takes 2 days - you book on Monday, you examine on Wednesday if they drop the container.

During examination you are faced with numerous agencies and various custom unit all doing the same job. I guess that's the govt way of reducing unemployment. The police nose around and get their 1000naira kickback. Secret service(SS) are also there haggling you for more bribe. Anti-bomb unit (police) are threatening to delay your goods clearance because they want to bring sniffer dogs if you don't settle well. Then the big guns: Custom's CIU comes to examine and write report. These ones are not like the rest agencies mentioned. If you no settle well.. You go enter! I really don't know why the have the CIU unit when there is a group called the custom examiners. These examiners are the ones to write report and refer your container to the Chief examiner for further action. Now things are easy or hard depends on the examiners' report. So you know the deal.. You have to make him HAPPY! Examination takes a day.

After the chief examiner signs and submits report to the releasing officer, the releasing officer's table enters the report into the system and prints out "inspection Act" reports. If your report is okay and the Boss thinks your are good to go, then he signs. But normally in Nigeria the signature comes without "Oga, abeg na." This means settle. This level of job is called "ba mi se." Meaning help me do. You settle with recharge cards or many "abeg." These takes a day or two.

The releasing office passes your documents to DC for the final stamp and signature. That's another one day if your job is "ba me si."

After releasing, the documents go through 4 to 5 tables that will register the document and at each of the front desks you settle with 500. From here, you move to gate. That's another level of clearance. The officers at the gate review your job. If they think you paid low duty or suspicious of the shipment, they may request you bring the container for fresh examination or raise extra duty to pay govt. now you see the twin swords hanging on your neck. And you know what it means -pay up and we waste your time and money. This takes a day.

You arrange truck to go in and pick up the container after you have paid your terminal and shipping charges, and have collect TDO -delivery order. Trucking your container out takes a day. But there a fresh CIU guys at the gate waiting to review your papers. They could delay things at this point.

Finally when you get out of the gate, customs FOU ( from ikeja) are waiting to examine your papers and shipment. If they are not satisfied, they may truck your goods down to Ikeja for another of clearance.

You see at every point, there is a sword hanging above you. And they all want a pound of flesh or you die!

It's tough being a clearing agent in this country, it's tough importing in this country. Every damn thing is tough in this country. This chop-me-I-chop mentality is creating a sort of tough life for everyone. Who do you blame, the custom guys need the extra buck to augment their salary, importer in turn raises prices to augment and the merry go round continues. What a life in giant of Africa!

PS: it took me less than 24 hours to clear a 20ft shipment at DFA (Dubai). All done on the computer. Token generated with pick up time. You give the token to driver and he goes to DFA to pick up.