Nigeria’s Federal Government has declared Kaduna Inland Container Depot (ICD) a port of origin and final destination to extend shipping services to hinterlands and landlocked areas to decongest the ports.

Notice of the declaration is contained in a statement signed by Mr Ignatius Nweke, the Deputy Director, Public Relations of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), made available to newsmen on Friday in Lagos.

According to the statement, the declaration is contained in a government gazette No 60 Vol. 102 of May 26, 2015, entitled “Kaduna Dry Port Declaration Order, 15’’.

The NSC said “it is expected that the Kaduna Inland Dry Port will have the status of international port, including customs, immigration, port health officials, as well as government security agencies.’’

The statement noted that the gazette, which was signed by the former Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, had now upgraded the Inland Container Nigeria Ltd. (ICNL) Bonded Terminal, Kaduna, to the status of dry port of origin and final destination.

“The gazette indicated that the newly-designated port with the capacity to handle 29,000 containers per annum shall be a customs port.

“This is in accordance with the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C 45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014.’’

The Inland Container Depots (ICD) and Container Freight Stations (CFS) were initiated by the NSC to bring shipping services to the hinterlands and landlocked neighbouring countries in order to decongest the ports.

The NSC statement indicated that there were other approved ICD/CFS in the country which were yet to be designated as port of origin and final destination in Ibadan, Kano, Jos, Aba, Funtua and Maiduguri.