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92 fight against corruption ). This award was for installing the world ’ s first real-time incident reporting tool and connected local HelpDesk , significantly reducing corrupt demands since its inauguration . Before HelpDesk ' s inauguration , resolution of cases took 7-10 days . In 2001 , MACN reported an average case resolution time of 1-8 hours . The operational cost of ( staying in port , being delayed , and processing paperwork ) for shipowners has reduced from an average of $ 150,000 to $ 20,000 per port call .
In 2019 , MACN and CBi introduced this anti-corruption HelpDesk which enables the private maritime sector and vessels calling at Nigerian seaports to report and reject corrupt demands from port officials of government agencies . The HelpDesk currently provides the only real-time incident resolution mechanism for seafarers and shipping companies , the first of its kind worldwide . The local HelpDesk team forwards instances of corrupt demands to the relevant government agency through the Nigeria Shippers Council ( NSC ), tasked with taking up grievances for response and resolution . The HelpDesk has registered over 400 incidents in 3 years of operation , of which 90 % have been resolved in under 24 hours . Since the HelpDesk ’ s inception in 2019 , reported anonymous incidents have decreased from 266 reported in 2019 to 129 cases in 2020 and 84 cases in 2021 . By late March 2022 , only ten incidents had been reported . The HelpDesk design is replicated in other high-risk ports , e . g ., Egypt and Ukraine ( before the war ) and understudied for replication by India , Bangladesh and Pakistan .
The anti-corruption solutions adopted by the Nigerian government are the result of several years of engagement by MACN and CBi . MACN and CBi also supported the Nigerian Shippers ’ Council as they made the case to the Presidency to lead the implementation of an official Nigerian Ports Process Manual ( NPPM ). CBi , leading local stakeholder and political engagement , also supports local stakeholders in the maritime sector with tools and training .
The resulting 2021 solution landscape is a combination of the following :
• The country has been very keen on improving the ease of doing business and attracting foreign direct investment , so the activities of MACN align with the aspirations of the political elite in charge of Nigeria , so there is continued cooperation by the Presidency . This was the case in 2021 .
• The Federal Government has a Project Steering Committee ( PSC ) that coordinates the interventions of some 14 agencies towards reducing corruption in the ports and terminals . The project started in 2012 , and the committee was still active in 2021 .
• The Federal Government of Nigeria launched the NPPM , which further clarified Standard Operating Procedures ( SOPs ) developed by each of the 14 port agencies to make the rules and the limits of the authority of each agency clear to all stakeholders .
• Various feedback and grievance reporting mechanisms that speak to each other and help overcome participants '