By Zika Bobby
THE Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has said it would collaborate with the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration to establish the Sierra Leonean Shippers’ Council.
The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, stated this when he received a delegation of the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration at the Council’s Headquarters’ in Lagos.
Bello said that the collaboration would enable both countries to discuss on shipping issues with the hope of strengthening African shipping operations.
He said such collaboration was important to enable Africans dictate the terms of trade within the region.
The NSC boss lamented that African countries do not own ships and were left at the mercy of foreign ship owners who dictate the terms of trade in the region but said his council is currently collaborating with the Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM) to start with two ships so as to enhance trade within the West Central Africa sub-region.
He said that the partnership with NEXIM was to create shipping link in the regional trade.
He said that Nigeria was an import-dependent nation, adding that there was need to look inwards on exportation to diversify the economy and regulate the cost of doing business.