Headlines
Akutah urges service providers, freight forwarders to sheathe sword, return to negotiation table over tariff increase dispute
Gloria Odion, Abeokuta
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Pius Akutah, has admonished the service providers and the freight forwarders to resolve their differences amicably over the dispute arising from tariff hike.
It could be recalled that the two parties have been at loggerhead over the matter, following the approval granted by the NSC for tariff increase.
However, Akutah, on the sidelines of the 2026 NSC management retreat at Abeokuta, told journalists that the warring parties must be willing to shift ground to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
He stressed that discussions between the two parties should be guided by a spirit of compromise and mutual understanding.
According to him, the Council had previously turned down requests for an increase in charges for two years, noting that the request was not necessarily aimed at profit-making or increasing profit margins.
Akutah emphasised that sustained engagement between stakeholders remains critical to maintaining stability in the maritime sector and ensuring that operational challenges do not disrupt port activities.
“I think that they need to work together more harmoniously to resolve these issues. We as a regulator have given the approval. It is left for the shipping companies and the Freight forwarders to come to a harmonious stand where they can implement this.”
“So, there must be a reason for people to move, shift ground it should be a give and take relationship.
“Whenever there is a stand down and nobody is moving, then there’s a problem. I am not speaking on behalf of the shipping companies, nor am I speaking on behalf of the Freight forwarders but I think they need to work together more harmoniously to resolve these issues.
“We as regulator have given the approval, it is left for the shipping companies and the Freight forwarders to come to a harmonious stand where they can implement this,” the Council boss explained.
He, however, reiterated the call for both parties to return to the roundtable to resolve the issue of tariff increment once and for all.
“We cannot sit and watch this without taking steps. It will get to a point where we can escalate this to the level of the minister if they fail to resolve it.
“Recently, we tried to see how we can wade into this to see how they can resolve this but this has kept going on. We are calling on both sides to go back to the table and see how they can resolve this issue and move on,” he stated.
“It is for the stakeholders in this sector to also understand that ours is also a relationship that needs to continue to roll on each other so that we can all move together.
“If they say there won’t be any hike in charges and at the end of the day, the cost of operation has hindered them from carrying out their functions, then we will not have a maritime sector,” he stated.
Customs
Customs, NDLEA bust major drug syndicate, seize 9 containers of illicit goods worth N53.39 Billion at Apapa port
Funso OLOJO and Gloria Odion
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has recorded a major breakthrough in the fight against illicit trade with the interception of nine containers laden with narcotics, expired pharmaceutical products and falsified medicines valued at N53.391 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
Speaking during the unveiling of the seizures on Wednesday, July 1st, 2026, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the operation was made possible through intelligence sharing, inter-agency collaboration and the deployment of non-intrusive inspection technology.
According to Adeniyi, the containers, which initially appeared to contain legitimate imports, were subjected to detailed intelligence analysis and verification that exposed sophisticated concealment methods used by the syndicate.
The seizures comprised:
A 40-foot container (CAAU7569127) containing 3,639 parcels of Cannabis Sativa (Canadian Loud) weighing 1,819.5 kilograms, concealed alongside three imported vehicles and assorted automobile spare parts.
Another 40-foot container (HAMU3246311) conveying 9,918 sachets of Cannabis Sativa weighing approximately 4.95 metric tonnes, hidden with two imported vehicles and household items.
A 40-foot container (MRKU3816476) loaded with 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of Codeine Syrup, concealed with 38 cartons of insulated casserole dishes.
Another container (TGBU5399178) containing 1,698 cartons (169,800 bottles) of Codeine Syrup, hidden inside 36 cartons of casserole products.
Container HASU4519480 carrying 1,300 cartons of expired pharmaceutical products, including Tramadol (Timakadol).
Container MRKU4961275 containing 1,269 cartons of expired pharmaceutical products, including Oxytocin injections, Mexclor Eye Drops and Carbamazepine tablets (Termigral brand).
Container PCIU8771576 conveying expired pharmaceutical products, including Cloxicillin capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 injections and Becoline B-Complex injections.
A 20-foot container (MRKU6964435) loaded with Piccan Teething Powder.
Container TCKU7000791 carrying 1,100 packages of CHACOLD Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules bearing a fake NAFDAC registration number (04-6646) and an expiry date of December 2028.
Adeniyi explained that the narcotic consignments would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), while the expired and falsified pharmaceutical products would be transferred to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation, regulatory action and safe disposal.
“In accordance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, narcotic drugs falling within the statutory jurisdiction of the NDLEA will today be formally handed over to the Agency for further investigation and prosecution.
“Similarly, expired pharmaceutical products will be transferred to NAFDAC for regulatory action and safe disposal.
“The remaining goods shall remain in the custody of the Nigeria Customs Service for seizure, forfeiture, condemnation, revenue recovery and other enforcement actions as provided by law,” the CGC stated.
He stressed that the seizures represented far more than their monetary value.
“These seizures represent far more than monetary value. They represent lives protected, families preserved, communities secured and countless young Nigerians shielded from the devastating consequences of drug abuse and unsafe medicines,” Adeniyi said.
The Customs boss commended officers and men of the Apapa Area Command for their professionalism, vigilance and dedication, while also praising the sustained collaboration among the NCS, NDLEA, NAFDAC and other security agencies.
“We shall continue to intercept, expose and prosecute all those who threaten our economy, compromise public health or undermine the security of our nation.
“Together with our partner agencies, we remain steadfast in protecting our borders, facilitating legitimate trade, preserving the health of our citizens and securing the future of our country,” he added.
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa, disclosed that the interception of 6,778.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud was the outcome of a painstaking intelligence-driven operation undertaken by the agency’s Special Investigation Unit and Marine Intelligence Unit in collaboration with foreign partners, particularly the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
According to Marwa, intelligence gathering and surveillance lasted for more than four months before the containers were intercepted.
“Over four months, actionable intelligence was carefully developed, and our marine surveillance officers tracked the vessels and containers throughout their journey until both were successfully intercepted,” he said.
The operation underscores the growing effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation and international intelligence sharing in disrupting transnational drug trafficking networks and preventing dangerous narcotics and counterfeit medicines from reaching the Nigerian market.
Customs
Wale Adeniyi, CGC, bags one-year tenure extension as WCO Council Chairman
Funso OLOJO, Editor
Few days after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu extended the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, by an additional six months, the World Customs Organization (WCO) has also renewed his tenure as Chairman of its Council for another one year.
The decision was unanimously endorsed by member countries during the 147th and 148th sessions of the WCO Council held in Brussels, Belgium, reaffirming the confidence of the global customs community in Adeniyi’s leadership.
Addressing members of the NCS management team who gave him a rousing welcome on his return to Nigeria on Monday, June 29, 2026, Adeniyi revealed that he had travelled to Brussels expecting to hand over the chairmanship but was instead entrusted with another one-year mandate.
“I sincerely appreciate your support. I went to Brussels believing I was going to hand over, but the outcome was different. The Council renewed my tenure for another one year, and I dedicate this achievement to the entire Nigeria Customs Service,” he said.
Adeniyi made history in June 2025 when he became the first Nigerian to be elected Chairman of the WCO Council, the highest decision-making body of the global customs organisation.
The renewal of his international mandate comes just days after President Tinubu approved a six-month extension of his tenure as Comptroller-General of Customs, a development widely seen as a strong endorsement of his leadership, reform initiatives and outstanding performance both nationally and internationally.
In recognition of the milestone, the NCS management team presented the Comptroller-General with a symbolic souvenir to celebrate his exemplary leadership and contributions to the transformation of the Service.
Responding to the gesture, Adeniyi expressed appreciation to the management team for their unwavering support, describing the honour as a reflection of the unity, professionalism and shared commitment that exist within the Nigeria Customs Service.
The renewed confidence reposed in him by both the Federal Government and the international customs community is expected to further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service’s ongoing reform agenda, deepen global partnerships, enhance trade facilitation and reinforce Nigeria’s growing influence in international customs administration.
Customs
Wale Adeniyi,CGC, bags tenure extension as WCO Chairman
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