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Freight Forwarders drag Shippers’ Council to Presidency over reintroduction of ICTN

–describe the concept as illegal, financial burden on importers 
Funso OLOJO
A section of the freight forwarders under the egies of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents(NCMDLCA) has reported the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the Presidency over its attempt to resuscitate and impose the suspended International Cargo Tracking Nite(ICTN) on port users.
In their petition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dated February 3rd, 2025 and a copy of which was made available to our reporter, the freight forwarders described the ICTN as illegal as it was not backed by any known law or legislation.
In the petition signed by Mr Lucky Ayis Amiwero, the National President of the freight forwarders group, the angry customs brokers also pointed out that the concept is not tied to any service on fees and charges imposed on importation and exportation.
According to the group, the ICTN, which was first introduced in 2010 by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the  Nigerian Shippers’ Council in 2015/2016, was on both occasions shot down and suspended due to its cost and procedure effect on Cargo clearance.
The agitated freight forwarders therefore expressed dismay over the current attempt by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to reintroduce a concept that was suspended on two occasions due to its defects.
“We hereby bring to the attention of the Federal Government on the push for the implementation of International Cargo Tracking Note(ICTN), which was   first introduced by Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) in 2010 and  the Second in 2015/2016 by Nigerian Shippers council(NSC).
“And  now,  there is a recent  push by the Shippers Council(NSC)  to implement a scheme that  was suspended , due  to the cost and procedure  its effect   on cargo clearance” the group complained.
The freight forwarding group recalled that due to the outcry of the stakeholders over the re-introduction of the ICTN in 2016, the Federal government set up a technical committee comprising the Nigeria Shippers Council(NSC), Manufactures Association of Nigeria(MAN)  Shipping Association of Nigeria(SAN) and the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents(NCMDLCA) to resolve concern of stakeholders.
Then the committee was asked to examine all cost associated with the implementation of international Cargo Tracking Note,ascertain where the cost burden of the implementation of International Cargo Tracking Note, will rest with a view to ensuring that the already high cost of doing business at our port is not worsened, to examine the basis and justification for all related charges with a view to reviewing same and to review the implementation and documentation procedures for charges and service.
“The Committee was Chaired by the National President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents(NCMDLCA) Lucky Eyis Amiwero,  and after careful assessment  of the deliberation  based on the implication and complexities  the implementation was suspended.”
In the petition, the group make the following claims:
“The international Cargo Tracking Note(ICTN) is not back by  law and will create additional procedure that will constitute delay in the already lengthy and cumbersome port operation.
“It is not tied to Service  of any sort, as contained in Articles  6: of Trade Facilitation Agreement(TFA) on Fees and Charges imposed in connection with Importation and Exportation.
“Furthermore, the  Nigeria Customs Service Act Section 28-(1)-(4)  covered the obligation of  Cargo Tracking Note, which conferred authority to the Service, of develop, maintain and employ and electronic system, while the Service is lead agency for exchange of information   between the Service, Agencies of the Government, and traders.
 “As provided in Section 28 and 35 of the Nigeria Customs Act, the deployment  of electronic system, and Pre-arrival process is the  exclusive preserve of   the service and  is the lead agency to all Government Agencies,  which clearly exclude other government agencies from deploying international electronic Tracking Note  system”
“The legislation of other government Agencies, do not contain any provision of electronic` system and pre-arrival process, in relation to Import and Export and the clearance of goods”
The freight forwarders therefore challenged the Nigerian Shippers’ Council that deployment of  any electronic system is in contravention of the laws, additional cost, duplicated process, and obstacle to trade.
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Analyses

The invisible toll gates:Why National Single Window is Nigeria’s ultimate economic battleground

Monday Discourse with  Ibrahim Nasiru
Walk into any market in Nigeria today, from the commercial hubs of Lagos to the roadside stalls in Yola, and ask why a bag of rice or an imported spare part costs three times what it did last year.
The typical public commentator will blame global inflation, floating currencies, or macro-economic shocks.
But those who understand logistics know the real truth lies buried under layers of paper, manual stamps, and artificial delays at our seaports.
Nigeria’s international trade is suffocating not from a lack of deep water, but from a deliberate design of convenience.
The recent operational rollout of the National Single Window (NSW) has triggered behind-the-scenes panic among Port cartels, and for good reason.
For decades, keeping our clearing processes fragmented, manual, and dependent on desk-to-desk human interaction was the perfect business model for syndicates.
When cargo dwell times drag on for 21 days, those delays are money in the pockets of the gatekeepers and a death sentence for local businesses.
Let us look at the raw field realities. The push by the Nigeria Customs Service to aggressively crash clearance times down to global 48-hour standards is meeting fierce internal resistance.
Why? Because a unified digital ecosystem means you cannot easily manipulate documentation, hide illicit cargo, or demand “mobilization fees” before signing off a container.
The outcry and protests from certain freight-forwarding syndicates aren’t about technical glitches; they are about the sudden closure of invisible toll gates.
This is exactly why governance at our national gateways can no longer be left to the mercy of transactional bureaucratic habits.
Building deep-sea infrastructure like Lekki Port is a massive physical achievement, but concrete and cranes are useless if the administrative processes at the gate remain backward.
 Real structural reform requires turning our Ports into automated, friction-free pipelines that prioritize production over rent-seeking.
If Nigeria wants to survive this fiscal squeeze, the National Single Window cannot just be treated as another glossy IT project launched in Abuja.
 It requires unyielding administrative enforcement to completely dismantle the corrupt cartels managing the manual desk chains.
The invisible toll gates at our Ports must be completely demolished, and that exact same structural discipline must be scaled across our border stations and trade corridors.
The era of managing international trade with 20th-century paper trails is dying. The future belongs to the builders of automated, transparent systems.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst,  writes from Abuja 
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Headlines

NANTA Exco embarks on seven-day Ghana retreat, fam trip to deepen regional tourism partnership

Gloria Odion, Reporter

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has commenced a seven-day executive retreat and familiarisation (fam) trip to Ghana, hosted by Safari World, as part of efforts to strengthen regional tourism partnerships and expand cross-border travel opportunities.

The NANTA delegation was received at Safari World Homes in Accra by the Chairman of the Safari World Group, Mr. Ernest Gyekye, who expressed delight at hosting the Nigerian travel trade leaders.

He assured the delegation of a memorable experience throughout their week-long stay.

Speaking on the significance of the visit, NANTA President, Mr. Yinka Folami, described the retreat and familiarisation tour as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering stronger business relationships and promoting collaborative tourism development across Africa.

“This mission is not a leisure trip,” Folami said. “It is a deliberate step to implement and expand our association’s marketing advocacy for Nigerian brands across borders.”

He noted that Nigeria and Ghana share deep historical, cultural and commercial ties that should be leveraged to drive tourism growth on the continent.

“Nigeria and Ghana share history, culture, trade and people. The future of our tourism cannot be built in silos,” he said.

“This retreat is about moving from policy to practice—creating real products, real partnerships and real movement of travellers between Accra and Lagos.”

As part of the programme, the NANTA executives will engage in strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings with their Ghanaian counterparts, tour key tourism destinations under the Safari World brand, and participate in cultural exchange activities designed to promote stronger bilateral tourism cooperation.

The itinerary spans Safari World’s three flagship destinations, including Safari Homes in Accra, the Aqua Safari riverfront experience, Safari Island Cruise, Safari Nautica, and Safari Recreation and Sports facilities in Ada, as well as the Safari Valley Eco Resort and Safari Eco Park in Dawu.

Operating under the brand promise, “One World, Three Destinations, Over 20 Unique Experiences,” Safari World is leveraging the visit to strengthen its footprint in the Nigerian travel market while positioning Ghana as a premier destination for leisure tourism, conferences, group travel, family holidays and premium tourism experiences.

A major highlight of the visit will be the Executive Dinner scheduled for July 21 at the Safari Valley Eco Resort, where key stakeholders from Nigeria and Ghana’s tourism industries will deliberate on strategies for deepening travel trade and advancing regional tourism development.

The familiarisation tour is expected to provide NANTA’s leadership with first-hand knowledge of Safari World’s tourism offerings, paving the way for the development of attractive travel packages and stronger business partnerships that will benefit Nigerian travellers and the wider West African tourism industry.

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Customs

Ogun Customs spurns claims of Smugglers’ takeover of Idiroko–Sango Ota trading Route

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has dismissed as false reports alleging that smugglers had taken over the Idiroko–Sango Ota trading route in Ogun State, describing the claims as a deliberate misrepresentation of a traffic incident.
In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs (SC) Chado, the Command clarified that the traffic gridlock on the route resulted from the breakdown of an articulated commercial trailer after it fell into a badly deteriorated section of Atan Road, temporarily obstructing the free flow of traffic.
According to the Command, the vehicles caught in the ensuing congestion were legitimate commercial trucks transporting red palm oil to various local markets and had no connection whatsoever with smuggling activities.
It explained that the large number of heavy-duty trucks trapped in the gridlock may have led some members of the public to wrongly conclude that smugglers had taken over the road.
“The reports that smugglers blocked the road are inaccurate. The disruption resulted from a road accident and poor road conditions. The vehicles involved were lawful commercial vehicles transporting red palm oil for legitimate trade,” Chado stated.
The Command urged journalists, social media users and the general public to verify information before disseminating reports capable of creating unnecessary panic or undermining public confidence in security agencies.
Observers within the border trade sector noted that the allegation does not reflect the prevailing security situation within the Ogun I Area Command, where anti-smuggling operations have been intensified under the leadership of the Acting Customs Area Controller, Comptroller O.O. Afeni.
Since assuming office, Comptroller Afeni has strengthened intelligence-driven surveillance, enhanced collaboration with other security agencies and host communities, and sustained pressure on economic saboteurs operating along the Ogun border corridors.
These measures, according to stakeholders, have resulted in significant seizures of prohibited goods and reinforced the Command’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and territorial integrity.
Maritime and border trade stakeholders also cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of undermining the efforts of security personnel or creating a false impression of lawlessness in border communities.
They stressed that while combating smuggling remains an ongoing responsibility, responsible and accurate reporting is equally critical to ensuring that operational achievements are not overshadowed by misinformation.
The Ogun I Area Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining its anti-smuggling campaign while facilitating legitimate cross-border trade in line with the statutory mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.

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