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Freight Monitor

ANLCA crisis latest:  Mustapha, Elochukwu, Okafor, Azeez are not BOT members- CAC declares.

Chief Henry Njoku, recognised as ANLCA BOT member
The Eyewitness reporter
 The yet-to-settle crisis in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA) has taken a new twist as the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC) has disowned the purported registered Board of Trustees(BOT) of Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha-led faction.
The ANLCA has been engulfed in a protracted crisis for the past five years as two factions in the association were laying claims to the authentic BOT of the association.
The Mustapha-led group has claimed legitimacy on the ANLCA board, a claim disputed by another faction led by Prince Ozo Chukwurah, both of which claimed they were registered by the CAC.
However, in the course of the protracted crisis and attempts to find lasting peace in the association, both factions have approached the Lagos state Police Command for mediation and mandated the police to investigate and find from the CAC an authentic registered BOT between the two warring parties.
However, the Police have obtained the true position of the CAC on the authentic ANLCA BOT.
In the report obtained by the police and a copy of which was sighted by our reporter, the CAC declared that Taiwo Mustapha, Ernest Elochukwu, Dennis  Okafor, Azeez are not BOT members.
According to the 36 pages report dated March 13th, 2023 from the CAC with reference, No RGO/SU/VOL.1/2023/0289 and addressed to the  Assistant Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba,  Lagos, the authentic BOT recognised by the CAC was the one registered by Chief Henry Njoku.
The CAC claimed that it actually issued the two certificates being brandished by the two factional BOTs but were subsequently cancelled on the ground of various lawsuits filed by the contending parties to the board.
The report titled ” RE: CONFIRMATION OF CERTIFICATES OF INCORPORATION AND STATUS REPORT”  reads in part ” We refer to your letter with reference number AB 3383/LSX/DO/VOL.3/57 for confirmation of Certificates and status report in respect of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents.
” Kindly be informed both Certificates dated 16th January 2020 and 7th September 2022 were issued by the Commission. However, they were subsequently canceled on the grounds that the appointment of Trustees was subjudiced .
” The Certificate issued on 16th January 2020 was canceled on 3rd March 2020 on the findings that the advertisement for change of trustees was made during the subsistence of a pending suit making the filing for changes unlawful and of no effect.
” Also, on the 27th of September 2022, the Certificate dated 7th September 2022, was canceled and the status quo reverted in view of suits FHC/L/CS/599/2020 and FHC/CS/79/2021 which were still pending at the time of the changes.
” Consequent to the above, the status quo on the Trustees has been reversed to changes filed in 2014 and contained in the Certificate issued on the 13th of January 2020. You may further wish to note that the 2014 application was initially not concluded on procedural queries requiring the return of the original Certificate of the association and submission of identification of trustees.
” Find attached the status extract, certified true copies of the Certificate of Incorporation, extract of minutes and documents in respect of the changes filed with the Commission in 2014 reflecting the current status of the association on the Commission’s record”
The letter was signed by Maimunat Hamu Modi on behalf of the Registrar General of CAC and was copied ANLCA and Finestone Chambers.
On the real and active members of the ANLCA BOT members with current status with CAC  , the first on the list is Chief Sir Henry Njoku, followed by ( late)  Alhaji Aare Sanni Shittu, Chief Sunday  Odedeyi,  Chief Peter Oge Obi, Prince Taiye Oyeniyi, Okenze  Sylvester Obinna, Chief Lawrence Asuquo, Dr. Sir Enoch Iwueze and Alhaji Aliyu Isa.
Also, the document shows past registered members of the ANLCA board who were removed to include Otunba Oyewole Fashewe, Ofoegbu U. Ofoegbu, Dr A.B.Mamman, Sam Bamisaye , Innocent Okoye, Ezeani Mbadugha and James Idornigie. They were removed and replaced by Chief Henry Njoku BOT, according to the CAC report.
However, there was nowhere in the 36-page report that Sir Ernest Elochukwu, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, Chief Dennis Okafor and Alhaji Dayo Azeez were either listed or mentioned as BOT members of ANLCA, nor did their pictures appear anywhere in the document.
Reacting to the CAC Report and the latest media reports credited to Chief Ernest Elochukwu and Co, the Acting National President of ANLCA, Kayode Farinto ” I am pained to see Elder statesmen behaving the way some of our so-called leaders are doing.
”First and foremost, let me state clearly that NECOM  believes in the leadership of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
”Hence, we allowed many of the things done under the peace agreement even when we knew they were not in line with our constitution,  but for the entire Association, we did give and take.
” Sir Elochukwu met the Nigeria Police to write to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on the true status of the Association’s BOT  and a copy of the reply has been sent to us and he and Alhaji  Mustapha are not even amongst the members of our board recognized under the law.
” I  have decided to release the report to the public for all stakeholders to know the aggressors and that we have been magnanimous to have accepted the issues the way it has been midwife by the Chairman of the Governing board of the CRFFN through the use of the political solution.
”  Secondly, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha does not have any power to counter the decision of the National Executive Council ( NEC) to extend the NECOM election by 90 days for the Association Electoral Commission ( ASECO)  to be able to conduct the NECOM Election.
”He needs to know that the day-to-day running of the association lies on the  NECOM and not the board, it is expressly stated in our constitution.
”  Finally, I urge the ASECO to go ahead with the preparation for the conduct of the NECOM election. I also state unequivocally that we have our belief in the capabilities of Alhaji Abubakar Sanni- led Governing Council of CRFFN  in piloting the affairs of freight forwarders in line with the  CRFFN Act as enshrined.” Farinto said.
”Meanwhile, with the latest development, it is certain that if the gladiators will not agree with the political solution as mediated by the CRFFN, the recognized BOT can as well resume office to restore lasting peace and if anyone continues on the warpath, then the law should take its full weight on culprits” Farinto declared.
Ironically, Alhaji Tsanni Abubakar-led CRFFN has brokered the much elusive peace in the ANLCA which was generally accepted by the two factions of the BOT.
The peace accord was further consolidated with the merger of the two BOTs, consisting of equal numbers of members from the two contending factional BOTs with Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha as its Chairman.
Prince Taiye Oyeniyi graciously stepped down as a member of the factional BOT and was unanimously adopted as the patron of the unified BOT.
While the whole members were savouring the new found-peace, Chief Ernest Elochukwu, a former National President of ANLCA and a member of the factional BOT which has now been disowned by the CAC, decided to truncate the peace process when he announced at a kangaroo press conference Monday that the Taiwo Mustapha-led BOT has pulled out of the peace pact, a claim which Prince Taiyo Oyeniyi claimed ignorance of.
Speaking with our reporter Tuesday, Prince Oyeniyi, who is a strong member of the discredited factional BOT to which Elochukwu belongs but who wholeheartedly embraced the peace process, said he was neither aware of the press conference convened by Elochukwu nor was consulted.
He said he has gone out of Lagos but promised to find out the grievances of the motley members of the Elochukwu disgruntled gang.
Alhaji Mustapha told our reporter that he was out of the country at the time the purported press conference was convened.
The CAC report has however pulled the rug off the feet of Chief Ernest Elochukwu and his gang in their latest efforts to truncate the hard-won peace in ANLCA.

 

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Analyses

Dual clearing:The secret racket killing Single Window 

The portals are digital, but the greed remains completely manual.

The Monday Discourse with Nasiru Ibrahim  exposes the ‘Dual Clearing’ racket where manual verification loops completely neutralize the federal government’s National Single Window.

Read how deliberate extortion rings at the terminal gates are killing the ease of doing business and paralyzing Port efficiency.

The full strategic brief drops tomorrow morning!

Stay tuned

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Customs

Opposition mounts against proposed hike in licensing renewal fee by Customs as agents kick

–the timing is wrong  — Amiwero

–the rich will now hijack the clearing job– Musa

— the multinationals will have a field day — Mukaila

– lot of agents will be out of job-Otunba Komolafe 
– the economy will collapse — Barrister Ada Akpunonu 
Funso OLOJO 
There seems to an overwhelming unanimity in the resistance of the Customs Licensed Clearing Agents against the proposed hike in the licensing renewal fee by the Nigeria Customs Service.
On Thursday, August 7th, 2025, the management of the NCS muted the idea of a hike in licensing renewal fee when it was sensitizing the executives of the major freight forwarding groups in Abuja.
The agency told the freight forwarders that commencing from January 1st, 2026, the current renewal fee of N215, 000( 20k for the Headquarters and N15k processing fee for the commands) would be increased as the existing fee was no longer realistic in the face of the economic realities in the country.
However, a cross – section of the practicing customs brokers who spoke to our reporter on the proposed review were unsparing in their total rejection and condemnation of the proposal.
They were unanimous in their belief that the move by the customs authority was not only ill- timed, ill- conceived but it’s capable of sending many practitioners out of the business.
The customs brokers lamented the timing of the proposed hike when, according to them, they are still grappling with the challenges of multiple payment of charges and fees atvtge port.
They pointed out the reintroduction of the 4 percent fee on FOB on imported cargo, the high exchange rate and other taxes which they said are hurting the business.
They further claimed that the proposed hike will give a leeway to the money bags and the foreign multi- nationals to hijack the freight forwarding industry.
Dr Segun Musa, the Deputy National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) accused Customs of gradually turning the issue of licensing into cash and carry for the highest bidders.
He believed that obtaining customs license should be purely knowledge- based and not what should be procured with money.
“To me, I don’t think it’s a welcome development and I’m not subscribing to that” when asked of his reaction to the proposed hike.
“The industry should be more of knowledge-driven and not cash-driven.
I didn’t subscribe to it and definitely I won’t buy into it.
” The reality is not whether the current renewal fee is sustainable or
not sustainable. Ordinarily, we don’t suppose as practitioners, we’re not supposed to pay for license.
“We’re supposed to be registered and licensed based on knowledge.
“It should not be a commercialized thing. A customs licensing is not a commercialized venture, it is not a private venture for profit making.
“They generate revenue for government. But ordinarily, we’re supposed to be registered and licensed based on knowledge to facilitate trade.
” If we allow the financial bullion operators to hijack the industry, then they mess up the whole industry.
“It should be knowledge-driven. It should not be the highest bidder industry.
” It should be integrity platform. It should be knowledge platform, not money
back platform.
“You cannot push people that are trying to establish and advance their business out of the business. You don’t do that.
It’s not fair.
“I’m just waiting for the associations that have met with the CG to come out with there  own resolutions or their own brief before we can start engaging media and telling the media our own personal opinion.
” But definitely, it will not fly.
Alhaji Abdulaziz Mukaila, the former National Secretary Generals of the Association of Nigerian Customs Licensed Agents(ANLCA, was not less critical of the licensing renewal proposal.
” Where do they want us to get the money from? Do they want us to start to tax importers? the ANLCA Chieftain asked rhetorically.
“Are they giving us any subvention?
 Whereas, Customs is taking salary.
They are still taking budget allowance.
” Now they are taking 4 percent cent on FOB on cargo.
” The Customs is giving way to the fraudsters they claimed they wanted to weed out with this hike because the fraudsters will get the license at any amount because they know what they want to do with the license.
*Customs will only succeed in chasing out honest people out of the business, thus paving way to the dubious ones to take over.
“What are  they trying to
achieve?
” To shut the door and bring in foreign multinationals?
“Afterall, the customs now give licenses to the Chinese, Indians and Lebanese.
“With this new hike, these foreigners will now gain full control of the industry” the former ANLCA scribe alleged.
Mr Lucky Eyis Amiwero, the factional President of National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents (NCMDLCA) believed that the proposed hike in licensing fee was ill- time at a time the Customs has just introduced 4 percent Free-on-Board (FOB) on imported cargo.
“I don’t think it is the right time for
them to renew, to increase license fees.
“It is the wrong time because the country is actually faced with a lot of challenges.
“The challenges are, one,exchange rates. A lot of people have lost their job. Even people cannot renew most of their licenses.
“When you look at the license renewal, it is based on the performance.
Many people might renew and after the whole thing,they don’t have any jobs to
do.
“So,I don’t think it is the right time for them because  as the customs was  renewing, is trying to bring
in 4% of FOB and so many charges.
“And this is going to hit the agents, hit the importers, hit the
manufacturers,hit the economy.
“When you increase, many of them cannot even move out from their homes.
The port is not a friendly place. A lot of things that are happening  at the port are not coordinated.
“More than 70% of people have left the port industry.
“So,customs should have reasons and seek opinion of people before they  start to increase.
“That money they are increasing is for their own .
“When the last time they reviewed the whole thing, I was in the forefront.
“The last time it was reviewed from N10,000 to N200,000” Amiwero declared.
Both Barrister Ada Akpunonu and Otunba Olasupo Komolafe of the ANLCA shared  similar sentiments on the issue.
Akpunonu seemed to be carefree about the issue because, according to her, the challenges which agents are facing at the port are overwhelming and frustrating.
She lamented that while the agents were battling with the charges of terminal operators, Customs came with the payment of 4 percent Free-on-Board (FOB) levy and now the hike in licensing fee renewal.
” I don’t want to talk about this issue.
If they like, let them increase, when the economy collapses , we shall all be affected”
” Let the Customs increase, those who have money will renew and those who don’t have will be thrown out of job and the rate of unemployment will increase” Akpunonu said in a tired tone.
Otunba Komolafe described the proposed hike as an additional burden on agents who are already groaning in pains over multiple charges at the port.
” Where do they want us to get money? Do they think we pick money on the ground? ,the ANLCA Chieftain asked rhetorically.
He said some agents may not be able to even utilize their license for a whole years due to lack of job.
He claimed that the hike will throw many out of the job.
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Freight Monitor

Amiwero mocks ANLCA, three other freight forwarding groups over plan not to pay POF.

— describes them as gathering of strange bedfellows 
Funso OLOJO 
The last is yet to be been heard of the intrigues, acrimony and bellyaching that greeted the court judgement which invalidated the payment of the controversial Practitioners Operating Fees (POF)by freight forwarders.
It could be recalled that the factional President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licenced Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Eyis Amiwero, secured a court victory against the payment of the POF by Customs brokers when on May 26th, 2025, Justice D.E Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos delivered a landmark judgment in a suit No Suit No. FHC/CS/765/2018 between NCMDLCA vs. 1. MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, 2. NPA and 3. CRFFN in which he declared the collection of the controversial POF illegal.
However, on Friday, June 18th, 2025, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA) led four out of the five freight forwarding groups registered with the Council for the Regulation of freight forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to announce their resolve to enforce the judgment of the Lagos High Court by stopping the payment of POF.
The other associations which allegedly connived with ANLCA to rebel against the  CRFFN included the National Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC), Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) and a factional National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA).
But Amiwero, who achieved the hard- won court victory over CRFFN, mocked the gathering of the four other associations, describing them as “strange bedfellows”.
”Just look at the gathering of these strange bedfellows, ganging up together to reap where they did not sow.
“A case of ‘my enemy, who is the enemy of my enemy, is now my friend.’
“When they slept on their rights and were busy fighting over the sharing formula of the POF, they never saw CRFFN action as illegal.
“Where were they when Lucky Amiwero single-handedly pursued the case and secured the judgment?
“Some of them even bashed Amiwero for challenging CRFFN, but now, have gathered to enjoy relief from another man’s struggle.
” Pushed by the frustration of not getting any share as CRFFN said that a Consultant fraudulently swallowed everything, they’ve now latched onto Amiwero’s court judgment, in revenge of those that outsmarted them in the Council’s politics and booties sharing” Amiwero declared in a derisive note.
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), which boycotted the meeting of the “strange bedfellows”, also dismissed the group as ” selfish and untrustworthy”
“The above ugly remarks by Mr. Lucky Eyis Amiwero concerning these individuals clearly portray them as untrustworthy and confused persons.
” They can best be described as a bunch of dribblers and directionless folks.
” We have waited to hear their reaction to these highly uncomplimentary remarks but discovered they lacked the wisdom to decode the weighty nature and the implications of Mr. Lucky’s comments, which completely smeared and eroded their credibility and made them interlopers in the industry” NAGAFF High Command declared.
NAGAFF, which reacted through its Board of Trustees (BOT)to the plan of the other registered freight forwarders over their plan to stop payment of the POF, has called in the CRFFN to deregister these rebellious groups while the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, should use legal instrument to ensure that the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC) withdraw their Certificate of Registration.
NAGAFF claimed these  punitive measures became necessary because the group has committed economic sabotage against the Federal government by denying the government it’s revenue through their refusal to pay the POF.
“The Hon. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, H.E Adegboyega Oyetola, is being encouraged to deregister forthwith the four ailing associations and move on to recommend to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to withdraw their certificates of registration based on threats to revenue due to government of the federation”, stated NAGAFF.
The association however believed that government should allow Amiwero and his group to exit the CRFFN platform in order to give peace a chance so that the CRFFN could collect the POF unhindered.
“The authorities should allow the factional President of NCMDLCA, Mr. Lucky Eyis Amiwero’s group and their accomplices to go as they wish and allow the CRFFN to face its mandate as provided by law.
“We are convinced that the CRFFN will stabilize and be more focused if these elements are granted their request to exit.
“We suspect that this group is being sponsored by the enemies of the state who are hell-bent on sabotaging the good efforts of the government.
“One of the worst crimes anyone can commit against the state is to deny the government its statutory revenue
” The antecedents of these groups in question had already portrayed them as non-progressive minds whose activities in the ports need to be watched” NAGAFF stated.
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