Joyce Mmereole Okoli
… Tanko Slams Terminal Operators, Govt Agencies for Frustrating Trade Despite Customs Reforms
Nigeria’s ports are once again in the spotlight as the 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has raised serious concerns over worsening operational bottlenecks and rising trade barriers, despite ongoing reforms by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
National Coordinator of the team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, in a strongly worded statement made available to accused key players in the port system, including terminal operators, shipping lines, and certain government agencies of undermining trade facilitation through inefficiency, overreach, and exploitative practices.
Tanko lamented that freight forwarders continue to face “daily frustrations” at the ports, noting that while the Customs Comptroller-General’s reforms were well-intentioned, poor implementation and technical failures have turned them into fresh obstacles.
He pointed fingers at the B’Odogwu digital platform, describing it as “riddled with inefficiencies.” Frequent network breakdowns, delayed debit notes, and misrouted containers, he said, have resulted in crippling costs for importers and agents alike.
“Pharmaceuticals and spare parts are often wrongly directed to scanning, only to be later dropped for physical examination, this costs time, money, and patience,” Tanko said.
The freight forwarders’ leader also expressed frustration over the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) documentation process, saying uploads can take weeks, thereby grounding cargo clearance and inflating logistics costs.
Tanko didn’t mince words when addressing the alleged excesses of shipping and terminal operators, whom he accused of lobbying for tariff increases at the National Assembly while failing to address their own operational lapses.
“We bear the brunt while making money for terminal operators. Enough is enough,” he declared, warning that freight forwarders would resist any further hikes in port charges.
The NAGAFF Compliance Team also took aim at certain government agencies, including the Agricultural Quarantine Service, SON, and NAFDAC, accusing them of overstepping their mandates by arbitrarily placing holds on containers and seizing goods without due process.
Tanko urged the government to step in before the situation spirals out of control, especially with the impending rollout of the National Single Window platform, which is expected to further digitalize port operations.
“Our concerns are not complaints, they are constructive feedback to help the system work better,” he emphasized.
The 100% Compliance Team reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring transparency, compliance, and efficiency within the maritime sector while calling for a unified effort among stakeholders to restore sanity to Nigeria’s port system.