Headlines

Shippers council condemns infractions, interference in ports’ cargo clearance

Emmanuel Jime, NSC Boss

Eyewitness reporter

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has condemned the various infractions and interference in cargo clearance at the nation’s ports.

Emmanuel Jime, Executive Secretary, NSC, made this disclosure at a 2-day training for maritime police in Lagos

The training with the theme, “Understanding the Role and Impact of the Police in the Maritime Industry,” was organised by the Council in collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

Jime was represented by Mrs Celine Ifeora, Deputy Director, Monitoring and Enforcement, NSC.

According to Jime, the interferences often disrupt cargo dwell time, increase charges for the consignees, and extortion, which ultimately lead to an increase in prices of goods and services in the country.

“NSC collaborates with several agencies, including the maritime police to enforce compliance with the established standards, eliminate corruption and bring down costs of doing business in our ports.

“The intervention by the council led to the receipt of several reports from the users of port services (consignees, freight forwarders, haulers) about the incessant interference in the cargo clearance processes.

“The council had on several occasions carried out investigations on the matter to ascertain the truthfulness or otherwise of the claims, and confirmed that these practices were carried out by various groups,” he said.

Jime noted that the findings resulted to collaboration between the council and the then Inspector General of Police who directed the Assistant Inspector General, Maritime Police Command, to streamline the plethora of complaints received.

He said consequently, the AIG took some initiatives to curb the situation, and the latest being the appointment of some officers.

He said the appointed officers would be responsible for ensuring that due process was followed whenever there was a need for a request for re-inspection of cargoes based on intelligence reports.

“With this in place, the NSC and Maritime Police Command recorded quite a lot of achievements.

“But we cannot rest on past achievements because some of these infractions still occur either deliberately or due to ignorance on the part of the officers involved,” he said.

Jime noted that one of the fruits of the meeting between him and AIG, Maritime Police command, was the decision to build the capacity of officers to enlighten and educate them on port operations vis-a-vis the role of the police.

He said part of the role of the marine police was to ensure enforcement of standards, ensure extortion was stopped, less blocking of containers to enable smooth and seamless cargo dwell time.

He said the Nigerian seaports had an unenviable reputation of being one of the ports with the longest cargo dwell time in the world.

“While it takes only six hours to clear cargo in Singapore and about seven days in Lome, it takes an average of 21 days to do so in Nigeria.

“Long dwell time of cargo renders the ports inefficient, create congestions, increase the cost of doing shipping business and ultimately leads to the high price of goods and services in the economy,” he said.

Also, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sunny Dagana urged the police officers not to keep what they had learnt but take it back to those that were not opportuned to come for the training.

In a paper presentation, Mr Olalekan Faniyi, Superintendent of Police, urged officers to understand that they played a vital role in securing the port.

“Maintaining law and order, checking against arms and ammunition smuggling into the country and others are part of their responsibilities,” he said.

He disclosed that maritime police had the same mandate as the other police forces but that they operated on the waterways.

Faniyi discussed the topic, “Maritime Policing in the Port: Safeguarding and Keeping the Peace – A Perfect Formula for Nation Security.”

Headlines

NRC grants Lagos Government permanent approval to operate Red Line rail services

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has granted final approval to the Lagos State Government to operate two of its rail tracks under the Track Sharing Agreement, paving the way for the full operation of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project.

The LRMT Red Line commenced passenger operations on October 15, 2024, with morning and evening peak-hour services following its inauguration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The permanent approval follows the temporary operating approval granted by the NRC in 2025 under the Track Sharing Agreement with the Lagos State Government.

Presenting the Permanent Operating Licence to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) on Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, said the approval confers on the Lagos State Government all the rights and obligations contained in the Track Sharing Agreement.

According to him, the licence also empowers the state to operate rail services in line with international best practices.

Opeifa described the milestone as a testament to the mutual trust, cooperation and shared vision that have continued to define the partnership between the NRC and the Lagos State Government.

“Beyond providing access to the tracks, our collaboration has also included the training and capacity development of the Red Line’s operational personnel, demonstrating the immense value of strong institutional partnerships,” he said.

He commended the Lagos State Government for its confidence in the NRC and its sustained commitment to the partnership.

“I also commend the Government for its remarkable investment in public transportation, particularly in the rail subsector, including the acquisition of adequate rolling stock to meet the growing mobility needs of Lagosians,” he added.

The NRC Managing Director noted that the development of modern rail infrastructure requires foresight, substantial capital investment and sustained political will, qualities he said the Lagos State Government has consistently demonstrated.

Opeifa also urged other state governments across the federation to invest in rail infrastructure and services to complement the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s railway network.

According to him, expanding rail transportation nationwide would ease congestion on highways, reduce logistics costs, improve passenger mobility, stimulate industrial and commercial activities, and accelerate national economic growth.

He stressed that rail transportation remains the backbone of efficient mass transit systems in major cities around the world.

“Continued investment in rail infrastructure is essential to providing safe, reliable, environmentally sustainable and high-capacity mobility for our growing population, while significantly reducing pressure on our road network,” he said.

Opeifa reaffirmed the NRC’s commitment to fostering productive partnerships that will transform Nigeria’s transport landscape.

“Together, we will continue to build an integrated, efficient, safe and sustainable railway system that serves the aspirations of all Nigerians,” he concluded.

Headlines

NPA unveils multi-agency task force to tackle resurgent port access gridlock

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has launched a multi-agency task force to combat the resurgence of traffic gridlock choking the Lagos port access roads, in a fresh push to restore seamless cargo evacuation and sustain recent gains in port efficiency.

The intervention followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, on June 23rd, 2026, where security agencies, freight forwarders, truck operators and representatives of the Lagos State Government agreed on coordinated measures to eliminate the bottlenecks disrupting cargo movement.

At the meeting, stakeholders identified illegal extortion points, overlapping responsibilities among security agencies and other operational distortions as major factors responsible for the renewed congestion along the port corridor.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemakara, said the Authority’s overriding priority is to guarantee the unhindered movement of cargo to and from the nation’s seaports.

According to him, the task force comprises the NPA, the Police, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).

“The responsibility of the task force is to monitor truck movement on the port access roads on a regular basis, identify any disruption capable of causing gridlock and immediately resolve such challenges,” Onyemakara said.

He stressed that members of the task force would not establish checkpoints along the corridor but would maintain strategic presence at designated locations to ensure compliance without obstructing traffic.

To enhance rapid response, Onyemakara disclosed that the task force has created a dedicated WhatsApp platform through which members can instantly report infractions or emerging traffic issues for immediate intervention.

On the long-delayed renewal of the Electronic Truck Call-Up (ETO) system contract, the NPA spokesman said the Authority is reviewing the terms to ensure a more robust contractual framework before awarding a fresh agreement.

He explained that although the previous contract had expired, the ETO platform remains operational under the management of the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) pending completion of the procurement process.

He expressed confidence that the renewal would be concluded soon.

Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to maintaining free-flowing port access roads, Onyemakara said efficient logistics remain central to the NPA’s drive to improve Nigeria’s port competitiveness and preserve its growing international reputation.

“We are more interested in the free flow of logistics into our ports than anyone else because it is in our own interest,” he said.

“If you look at the international recognition we are receiving, including the World Bank report, we are determined to sustain and even surpass the improvements already recorded in our port system.
“You can be assured that we remain fully committed to achieving the best possible performance from our ports.”

Headlines

Customs Steps Up Nationwide Green Tax Awareness Ahead of July 1 Rollout

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its nationwide sensitisation campaign ahead of the July 1, 2026 implementation of the Green Tax Surcharge and related fiscal adjustments, aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and encouraging the importation of cleaner vehicles.

The awareness campaign, held on Friday July 26th, 2026 at the Apapa Area Command, brought together Customs officers, licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, importers and other key stakeholders under the theme: “Implementation of the Green Tax Surcharge and Related Fiscal Adjustments.”

Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, Mohammed Babadende, said the exercise was designed to ensure stakeholders fully understand the policy before its implementation.

“This sensitisation is designed to ensure that every stakeholder clearly understands the policy before implementation. Our objective is to eliminate uncertainty, promote voluntary compliance and guarantee uniform application of the Green Tax Surcharge across all commands,” Babadende stated.

Delivering a technical presentation, the Comptroller in charge of Tariff, System Audit and Coordination, Murtala Muazu, explained that the Green Tax Surcharge is different from conventional fiscal measures and would therefore require a separate assessment process.

He disclosed that the Service has simplified implementation through the HS Code declaration platform to facilitate seamless compliance by importers and clearing agents.

Muazu also revealed that the Federal Government has reduced import levies on vehicles from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, while import duty on used vehicles has been slashed from 15 per cent to five per cent to cushion the impact of the new environmental surcharge.

Area Controllers who participated in the sensitisation urged importers, licensed customs agents and the trading public to embrace the initiative, stressing that the reduction in import levies would lower the cost of doing business, promote legitimate trade and ultimately reduce transportation costs.

Stakeholders welcomed the policy but called for sustained public enlightenment to deepen understanding and ensure seamless compliance ahead of the July 1 commencement date.