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Exclusive! FG grants SON Six months provisional stay at Ports

Eyewitness reporter

Using a combined instrumentality of propaganda, blackmail and lobbying, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) may have succeeded in its long-time inordinate ambition to return back to the ports.

Confirmed sources in the presidency told our correspondent that the agency may have secured a six- months provisional stay at the Port.

The source, who craved anonymity, said the management of SON was able to lobby and convinced Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who asked the agency to return to the port for an initial six months period.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is the Chairman of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) which oversees the Ease of doing business at Ports.

The modalities for the eventual return of the agency are currently being worked out to synchronize with the existing structure of other agencies at the Port.

Following the approval of the presidency for SON to return to the port, its Director General, Malam Farouk Salim, has been visiting the heads of the relevant agencies at the Port to secure their support and cooperation for a seamless return.

Malam Salim visited the Customs Authority, NPA and other approved agencies at the Port to court their favourable disposition and good reception to the comeback of the SON.

His visit to the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, recently was strategic because the NPA is the agency that monitors to ensure the compliance of agencies of government to the directive of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) concerning agencies are allowed in the ports.

At the meeting with the NPA, the SON DG was reported to have discussed the modalities of the agency’s return and how the NPA would ensure it makes it seamless through the provision of office accommodation and other logistics as the port landlord.

The SON was among the mushroom agencies that were weeded out of the ports through the 2011 Presidential Directive to reduce agencies operating at the ports.

After the surgical operations, the over 20 agencies that were then operating at the Port were pruned down to Seven.

They included the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Police, Department of State Service (DSS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Port Health.

But later, the NDLEA and NAFDAC came in through the back door through ceaseless lobbying and campaigns.

These now raised the approved numbers of agencies at the ports to nine.

However, since then, SON has embarked on a relentless campaign to also return to the port, taking a cue from the NDLEA and NAFDAC that were initially dropped but later added.

Despite the fruitlessness of its relentless campaigns to stage a comeback, SON was not a deterrent in its desire to return.

However, the campaign reached a crescendo when the incumbent DG of the agency, Malam Salim, was appointed in 2020.

Malam Salim employed a hybrid of methods to get SON back to the port.

The agency used public enlightenment, lectures and seminars where stakeholders were engaged to speak in favour of the agency’s return.

Critical stakeholders such as the leadership of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) became the megaphones of the agency, advocating for its return.

The two leading associations, which observers said should have ordinarily opposed the staged-managed comeback, given its implications on the cost of clearing procedures and other encumbrances, were at the forefront of the campaign to bring back the agency to the port.

SON management also employed an instrument of blackmail in its bid to return to the port.

At one of his numerous press briefings, which were judiciously deployed in its campaigns,, the DG of SON was quoted to have accused the Customs of complicity in the influx of fake and substandard products into the country, a statement which the DG later denied.

However, the long and persistent bid of the agency to return may have finally paid off with the presidential approval for its initial six months trial at the Port.

The officials of the agency whom our reporter contacted for confirmation of the development were not forthcoming, saying it was only the DG who could comment on the matter.

However, one of the officials confirmed that the modalities for the return are being worked out by the presidency with other existing agencies at the Port.

“Let’s keep our fingers crossed, when all the necessary steps have been taken, the DG himself would address the press to give the modalities for the return.

“Right now, I can’t say anything until the DG holds the press conference” the SON source declared.

Related Topics:featured SON returns to ports

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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.