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Freight Monitor

Fresh cracks in ANLCA widens as Emeka Igwe tackles Mustapha, accuses him of being an interloper

“As a leader, I mustn’t be the one to truncate the peace in ANLCA–Mustapha
The Eyewitness Reporter
The new vista of crisis in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA), sparked off by the sudden resignation of Nze Aloy Emeka Igwe as the chairman of the Association Election Committee (ASECO), seems to be festering.
The resumed hostilities in the association, six months after a fragile peace was brokered following the factionalized elections in September, are assuming a new dimension as Emeka Igwe had pointedly accused Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of ANLCA, of stoking the fresh crisis.
In his expanded reasons for his resignation, Igwe said he had to leave when the atmosphere was becoming suffocating and toxic.
He accused Mustapha of behaving like a tin god in ANLCA by virtue of his position as the BOT chairman, wilfully usurping the powers of the President of the association.
In an apparent response to the allegation of lack of accountability leveled by Mustapha against the former ASECO Chairman, Emeka Igwe said the BOT Chairman lied in a bid to frustrate him out as ASECO Chairman to pursue his personal political agenda.
“My resignation as ASECO Chairman is as a result of the suffocating foul air in the association.
“The BOT Chairman thinks he is the law and order in ANLCA.
“He does not obey simple rules, he does not understand the provision of the ANLCA Constitution as concerns BOT.
“He does not understand how the association should be run. He is hell-bent on usurping powers he does not have.
” His attitude is annoying and that was why I quietly decided to leave without making noise about it.
” Unfortunately, he thinks that the best way to harm me is to bring allegation that I did not render an account of my stewardship as ASECO Chairman” the former ASECO Chairman thundered.
Igwe accused Mustapha of attempting to perpetuate himself as the BOT Chairman as he was afraid to face free and fear elections which ASECO under his leadership will conduct, hence his(Mustapha) political maneuvering to ease him out.
“It is important to state that at a meeting supervised by the regulatory body – CRFFN at Eko Hotels that 8 members of BOT, 4 from each faction and 8 members of ASECO, 4 members from each faction were appointed.
” The arrangement was for ASECO to organize the NECOM election first and the BOT election a month after.
“But after the NECOM election, it seems that some BOT members are afraid to face AGM for election.
” They, especially the Chairman, have been playing games and tinkering with the idea of dissolving ASECO which was appointed just like them.
“He has no such powers. The arrangement was not for BOT to remain there in perpetuity. They were not elected.
“Mustapha’s fear is understandable because if the level of transparency and fairness exhibited at the NECOM election last September is applied, someone like him won’t return elected.
“The overwhelming majority of ANLCA members and even his colleagues are sick of his penchant to act as if he is the National President.
“So he is desirous to put a Chairman of ASECO that will return him elected and if you don’t like it… Go to Court” Igwe alleged.
He further alleged that the BOT Chairman, who he said is less than 10 years in ANLCA, thrives and feeds on crisis.
“Alhaji Mustapha is less than 10 years in ANLCA and he has refused to learn the ropes.
“He feasts on crisis and whenever there seems to be peace, he creates crisis.
“I decided to leave and I submitted my resignation letter quietly without involving anyone or the Press and NECOM accepted my resignation, thanked me for my services and wished me well in future endeavours.
” But Mustapha took it from there and brought false allegations against me.
“It is clear that the problem we have in ANLCA is Alhaji Mustapha because ever since he joined BOT, he has stuck to the Chairmanship position as if his life depended on it.
” You can see that he is the one throwing evil narrative to the public because he knows that his continued Chairmanship of BOT is illegal and the only way he can sustain that is to create a crisis and that was basically why I resigned.
“The man feeds on crisis and this crisis he has regenerated, let’s hope ANLCA will come out of it stronger.
” I don’t think that stakeholders will fold their hands and watch a greenhorn who knows very little about ANLCA to bring the Association to ruin and disrepute” the former ASECO Chairman declared.
He however put a lie to the narrative made by Mustapha that he, Igwe, as the chairman of ASECO, failed to render account of his stewardship.
The BOT Chairman had accused the former ASECO Chairman of ignoring several calls for accountability.
But in a swift reaction in his statement titled ” The Evil Narrative In The Eyes Of Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha”, Igwe said Mustapha’s allegation is tantamount to giving a dog a bad name to hang it.
“My attention has been drawn to a publication of an online outlet wherein the BOT Chairman of ANLCA alleged that I failed to give a report/account of the NECOM election of September 2023.
“The allegation is totally false and should be disregarded by the general public. I will come back to that shortly.
“The allegation that evil narrative was thrown at journalist presumably by me is equally false and unfounded.
“My resignation letter was addressed to the National President of ANLCA in the form of an internal memo.
“It was not released to the press and up till this moment I have not spoken to any journalist.
“It is NECOM that chose to accept my resignation letter in the form of a Press Statement in which they equally released my resignation letter to the public.
“The challenge ASECO had was various postponements that affected logistics hence the supplementary budget.
” Having said that, immediately after the inauguration of the new NECOM on 23rd November 2023, we met and reconciled the account which we submitted alongside the report to the National President and copied the BOT.
“So the account Alhaji Mustapha claimed we did not submit should be with him.
“The National Secretary received and acknowledged our report on behalf of NECOM.
” The acknowledged copy is hereby attached for our perusal.
“Record of all expenses as disbursed to each ASECO member and the purpose for the disbursement are fully captured and attached to the report.
“All members of ASECO consented to the report.
“Moreover, the budget for election and supplementary budget therein was sent to BOT which they exhaustively scrutinised and approved before releasing funds to ASECO.
“We religiously adhered to the budget. Hence our report is in compliance and fulfillment of our adherence to due diligence and accountability.
“Being ASECO Chairman was not a job I jumped to. Stakeholders wanted me to be there because they were convinced that I would be neutral, fair and just to all irrespective of faction or divide as it then was in ANLCA.
” I rose from the ranks in ANLCA, from Chapter EXCO member to Vice Chairman and eventually the Chairman of MMA Cargo Chapter.
” My antecedents are there, my impact on the association is well known to all.
“The contribution of my Chapter under my watch to the acquisition of the National Secretariat is still fresh in the memory of my professional colleagues” Igwe explained.
When contacted, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha said he had worked tirelessly for the peace which the ANLCA is now enjoying and will not be the one to truncate it.
He however said he would not banter words with anyone in this issue and to his, as far as he was concerned, the matter is closed.
 “I have worked hard along with good-spirited individuals in our industry to return ANLCA  back to this peaceful level.
“As a leader, I mustn’t be the one to truncate the same peace.
” I have received a lot of misleading stories about me in the past when the crisis was on.
“So I will never react on this one. All I know is that I have no reason to twist any story or lie against any of our members.
” So I apologise to our members who feel threatened by this new development.
” I can assure you ANLCA is not going back to the dungeon. We will not allow the fifth columnists to derail us.

” The booby trap has been detonated. I appeal to journalists to be more professionals. So that chapter is closed”, the ANLCA BOT Chairman concluded with a note of finality.

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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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Entertainment

Ozo Chukwurah hosts Olojede, new Oriade Council Chairman, to lavish reception over his electorial victory 

Funso OLOJO 
Prince Ozo Chukwurah, a frontline Customs broker and former Vice – Chairman of Board of Trustees(BOT) of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), organized a lavish reception for the newly elected Chairman of Oriade Local Council Development Area(LCDA), Honourable Azeez Olojede,to celebrate his recent local government electoral victory.
Olojede, a protege of Prince Chukwurah, came to pay homage to his mentor and financier at his palatial Hotel, Systems Place Hotels, Satellite town Lagos.
Guests at the event, which included the political entourage of the new chairman, his personal assistants, some council officials, party faithfuls and staff of the Systems Place Hotels, were treated to choice light refreshments and drinks.
Olojede said he decided to embark on the thank you visit to Prince Chukwurah for his support and huge contributions to the Satellite community.
He declared that , Prince Chukwurah, a contemporary of his father, has been a pillar of inspiration within the community where he had imparted lives of the people through his philanthropic gestures and other corporate social projects.
The new chairman used the occasion to unveil some of his plans for the LCDA
“I am a very familiar person with my environment having lived 40 out of my 48 years on earth within this Local Council  Development Area” Honorable Olojede began.
 “This area is housing both the riverine and upland areas and mainly divided into Satellite town and Ijegun Egba which are the heartlands of the LCDA.
“I have the desire to make life better for the indigenes and residence of the LCDA”.
“We are having meetings with the traditional rulers in order to outline the projects that we plan to execute and of course we have to bring in government interests to meet with the public interests-schools, police posts, health centre and others that will impact positively on the lives of residents of this area”.
He pledged to ensure that those who engage in agriculture within the islands in the LCDA are encouraged to help boost food security in inline with the desire of the state government.
 “We have to project the objectives of the state government so that the people will be able to key into the various projects to improve their lives and the environment”. the chairman added.
Olojede also encouraged other residents of the area to emulate the generous gesture of chief Ozo Chukwura who funded  the construction work on the road where they had the activity on the day.
“We want to connect the various communities on the two islands to the mainlands and all the listed government interests shall be provided towards achieving all our plans. We are speaking with the people”. he enthused.
Honourable Olojede added that aside the construction works going on, there are plans for training programmes and other educational policies aimed at enlightening the populace.
In his short remark, Prince Chukwurah pledged to fuel the heavy duty equipment that would be used for road construction in the area with the sum of 2 million naira.
The pledge drew a roar of  approval from the appreciative supporters of the chairman who burst into party songs and praises of the donor.
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