They stated that for instance, investigation reveals that the zone operator demands $15 free zone entry and exit fee per person per day; and annual passenger jetty service fee of $6,000,000 even when the value of the jetty itself is less than $600,000. The CMO stated that each investor operating at the free zone is also required to pay $160,000 annual fee to station four armed guards in the free zone while the zone operator spends less than $10,000 on these guards. The maritime operators argued that unlike other free zones in the country, LADOL base is under lease to a private zone operator, which compels potential investors to negotiate with the zone operator instead of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). This arrangement, they argued has led to investors paying exorbitant and suffocating charges to the zone operator, compared to the “pittance” the zone operator paid to the NPA for the lease. Some of the operators pointed out that the high charges imposed on oil and gas industry stakeholders at the Lagos free zone are passed on to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by the free zone operator and subsequently paid by the Federal Government.

Source: Nigerian Tribune August 05, 2020 09:33 UTC