The high exchange rate has reduced the volume of vehicles imported through the Nigerian ports, the Operations Manager, Ports and Terminal Multiservices Ltd. (PTML), Jack Angrish has said.
Angrish disclosed yeserday in Lagos that most vehicle seats in the country were almost empty due to the inability of importers to access forex.
“Vehicle imports have reduced from 30,000 to 8,000 in the last six months with the attendant problem of loss of jobs by terminal officials.
“Many vehicle seats are empty and this is almost the last quarter of the year.
“It is very unfortunate that the loss of Nigeria in terms of revenue on vehicle imports has continued to be the gains of the neighbouring ports of Cotonu and Lome,” he said.
He said that cars were being smuggled in and the revenue were going to ports of Cotonou and Lome.
Angrish said that Nigerians would have to make do with the available cars until the exchange rate improves.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.
