Lagos free zone secures Nigeria Customs approval for ‘green channel’ with Lekki deep sea port
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has approved the activation of a dedicated green channel linking the Lekki Deep Sea Port to the Lagos Free Zone, marking a major step in Nigeria’s drive to modernise trade facilitation and logistics operations.
The approval allows for the seamless and controlled movement of free zone cargo directly from the port into the zone, creating a dedicated corridor for goods entering the Lagos Free Zone.
With the sanction, the Lagos Free Zone becomes the first free zone in the country to operate a customs-approved green channel, aligning Nigeria’s port-to-free-zone logistics with global integration models adopted in leading trade hubs across the Middle East and Asia.
As the only free zone in Nigeria with the Lekki Deep Sea Port as its anchor tenant, the development places the Lagos Free Zone in a unique position to offer what operators describe as a significant competitive advantage for inward logistics and industrial operations.
According to the free zone operator, the new corridor removes long-standing bottlenecks between the port and the zone, enabling faster cargo evacuation and reducing capital tied down in demurrage and truck waiting times.
Under the green channel framework, cargo moving from the port to the zone will be monitored through a continuous chain of surveillance and digital tracking, including round-the-clock CCTV coverage, telemetry and tamper-evident electronic logs. The system is designed to guarantee cargo integrity and improve regulatory oversight by the Nigeria Customs Service.
The free zone said the arrangement would provide manufacturers and distributors with predictable and high-speed logistics flows, while strengthening investor confidence through a transparent and high-compliance trade environment.
Speaking on the approval, Bashir Adeniyi, comptroller-general of customs, said the initiative would support Nigeria’s trade modernisation agenda and improve confidence in special economic zones.
“This approval is a testament to our commitment to trade modernisation. The Lagos Free Zone green channel will enhance customs visibility while significantly improving investor confidence in Nigeria’s special economic zones,” he said.
On her part, Adesuwa Ladoja, managing director and chief executive officer of the Lagos Free Zone, said the corridor would eliminate what she described as the long-standing “last mile” uncertainty associated with cargo movement from Nigerian ports.
“The activation of the Lagos Free Zone green channel reflects our customer-centric approach and our commitment to improving ease of doing business for our tenants,” she said.
She added that the physical and digital integration of the Lekki Deep Sea Port into the free zone has removed the complexities traditionally associated with port exits, allowing tenants to move cargo through a customs-integrated corridor with speed and precision.
Ladoja said the development would support large-scale manufacturing and regional distribution, while reinforcing the Lagos Free Zone as a key gateway for businesses seeking to expand operations in Nigeria and across West Africa.
