Bollare Africa Logistics contemplating provision of warehousing facility to Indian pharma exporters

In the wake of rigorous follow up by the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), the leading African logistics company, Bollore Africa, agreed to provide common warehousing facilities in Nigeria to interested stakeholders as per their requirements without any obligations. This report comes as a huge relief to the exporters who had earlier expressed apprehensions over the possible liability to the companies to rent ‘some minimum space’, irrespective of their usage, for SMEs. Irked by such a clause, the exporters had repeatedly raised their doubts over the feasibility and affordability for the companies in having such a facility in Nigeria with the Council. PV Appaji, director general of Pharmexcil informed that as per the suggestions received from members, the Council had relentlessly taken up this matter with the agency and asked them to extend the same rates and services to the members as and when they approach without any obligation of taking minimum or committed space. “We have been working on this issue from some time now and are glad to inform that finally Bollore Africa has accepted our proposal to provide the facility on a ‘whenever required basis’ only, as against their proposed clause. They have also indicated that companies can keep their stocks in their own name without payment of duties in the bonded warehouse, so that they can sell the stocks to their buyers as and when required. Also they have shown inclination to obtain or assist in obtaining necessary permissions from Nigerian government to the extent possible. The above proposition would be very useful to our members, and thus we strongly feel that they should consider taking up this opportunities at the earliest,” informed Appaji. He further informed that financial assistance in the form of advanced security provisions, power back-up facilities, internal logistics through approved agencies, apart from additional services like insurance and bank remittances etc will be duly provided to the interested companies under MAI scheme, to encourage participation. Interestingly the Council was planning to launch warehousing facility in Nigeria during the iPHEX Africa that was concluded recently last week. However Dr Appaji informed that pending clarity on some key issues with the stakeholders, the Council had to postpone the launch further.