Nigerian Port Authority introduces e-invoicing system

TVC NEWS LAGOS] - The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA on Wednesday, in Lagos introduced an electronic “Revenue Invoicing Management System and Customer Portal”in a bid to lower operational cost and shorten the time for documentation for port users. According Managing Director of NPA, Habib Abdullahi, at the presentation of the new portal, the Authority embarked on it to further improve port business and make it attractive for port users. “We are presenting the Revenue Invoicing Management System and Customer Portal that are fully convergent and real time platforms for our processes, which will lower operational cost and shorten the time for documentation.

“These platforms fully integrate the electronic flow of information for business–to–customer and business–to–business streams real-time, with higher availability and flexible architecture, Abdullahi stated. Abdullahi also said the platforms are also fully integrated with all NPA existing solutions such as Oracle Financials, Oracle Human Capital Management, NPA Pay direct via Interswitch and Electronic Ship Entry Notice (eSEN). “The introduction of this system has the potential to improve our service offering, improve our partner relationship, create efficient payment method, maximize revenue and minimize loss associated with fraud and revenue leakage.

The NPA boss said that the Customer Self Service Portal on the other hand provides a platform for NPA customers to initiate and conclude their business process with Authority and also communicate with them. He listed the benefits accruing from this portal as: Improved customer service delivery, easy access to customer accounts status, view of all transactions and status in respect of bills, electronic upload of manifest and e-invoice and e-receipt generation. He also noted that “on the Billing Application, some modules of which are already operational in all port locations, will soon proceed to the next stage. Currently, it covers payment processes in areas such as Lease Fees, Service Boats, Passenger boats, General Bills (Jetties and Trawlers), and Oil Terminal Dues (OTD)/Compulsory Pilotage Rates (CPR).