The Nigeria Customs Service has cleared the way for a new logistics regime at the Lekki corridor, approving the activation of the Lagos Free Zone Green Channel, a dedicated route for the controlled movement of cargo from Lekki Deep Sea Port directly into Lagos Free Zone.

The approval makes Lagos Free Zone the first and only free zone in Nigeria to operate a formally sanctioned green channel, aligning the country with port-to-free-zone integration models used in major trading hubs across the Middle East and Asia. The zone, promoted by Singapore-based Tolaram, is the only Nigerian free zone with a deep-sea port as its anchor tenant.

Customs authorities say the initiative is designed to modernise trade procedures while tightening oversight. The Green Channel allows containers destined for the zone to move under a secure, Customs-supervised corridor, bypassing many of the traditional bottlenecks that slow cargo at Nigerian ports.

By linking the quay directly to factories and warehouses inside the zone, operators expect a step change in supply-chain efficiency. The corridor is intended to cut demurrage costs, reduce truck turnaround times and free up working capital that would otherwise be trapped in congested port processes.

Security and compliance are central to the model. Cargo moving through the Green Channel will be monitored by round-the-clock CCTV, telemetry systems and tamper-evident digital logs, creating an auditable trail from ship to facility. Customs officers will have real-time visibility over movements, a feature officials say will both deter malpractice and reassure investors.

For manufacturers and distributors, the new system promises more predictable delivery schedules and faster inventory cycles, strengthening Lagos Free Zone’s pitch as a regional hub for West Africa. The zone spans 860 hectares in Lagos State and is integrated with the 90-hectare Lekki Deep Sea Port, giving tenants direct access to regional and international shipping routes.

Zone management describes the Green Channel as the final piece in linking port and industrial infrastructure into a single ecosystem. By removing the uncertainty of the “last mile” between quay and factory gate, they argue, Lagos Free Zone can offer a logistics platform that rivals established global trade centres and positions Nigeria as a more competitive manufacturing and distribution base.