Maritime
Exporters Seek Withdrawal Of New Terminal Charges
The Head of Logistics,
Rubber Estates Nigeria Ltd., Mr Stephen Usih, has urged terminal operators to withdraw new Terminal Handling Charges (THCs) on container -laden exportable goods which took effect June 1.
Usih, who said he had the mandate of other exporters to speak, made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
A breakdown of the new THCs shows: N40,000 on 20 ft. container and N60,000 on 40 ft. container.
He suggested that the THCs should be suspended to allow a stakeholders’ meeting of terminal operators, shipping lines, exporters and Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
“Everyone involved has to discuss on the issue to have realistic figures as terminal handling charges.
THCs are charges collected by terminal authorities at each port against handling equipment and maintenance.
Usih said that the shippers (exporters) were also paying the N4,123 as delivery charges which had to do with the loading of empty containers and off-loading of full containers.
According to him, N4,123 was charged at the exchange rate of N165 to a dollar, an equivalent of 25 dollars per container.
“If now, the current exchange rate is N350, at 25 dollars per container, exporters are still ready to pay N8,750 as delivery charges.
“Even if increased to 50 dollars per container, the exporters will still pay N17,500,’’ he said.
According to him, exporters will accept a reasonable increase in delivery charges based on the excuse given by the terminal operators about the prevailing exchange rate of the naira to the dollar.
“Considering the nature of services rendered by the terminal operators, which is to load empty containers and offload full containers, N40,000 additional charge on a 20 ft container is not justifiable,’’ Usih said.
He also requested that the payments “have to be made directly to the shipping lines as being done over the years, where payment is done at the time of collection of the Bill of Lading after departure of containers’’.
“Globally, the charges are paid after the departure of the vessel but now exporters have to pay 48 hours before the arrival of the vessels, thereby making the documentation processes more cumbersome,’’ Usih said.
He told our sources that exporters were not ignorant of the situation of the country “but are saying that things should be done appropriately’’.
Usih said that it was the noble idea of the Federal Government to diversify the economy into non-oil exports with agricultural commodities accounting for 90 per cent of the non-oil exports.
“With the government’s quest to diversify the economy, the key thing is to make export business profitable in order to convince people to venture into it.
“With the new terminal handling charges, the objectives will not be achieved.
“It will scare away new entrants into exports. With government’s pronouncement, people have started exporting at least one container load on monthly basis.
“ An exporter who is exporting a container load of a commodity valued at N4 million per container, the maximum profit he could make is N100,000,’’ Usih said.
According to him, with the additional N40,000, the terminal operators have already removed 40 per cent of the gross profit and this will not make the export business lucrative any more.
He said that Rubber Estate Nigeria Ltd. (RENL) shipped 1,000 containers of processed rubber annually, “and you can imagine the effect the terminal handling charges would have on our company’’.
“With the new charges, this will translate to N40,000 multiplied by 1,000 containers which will make a total of N40 million to be paid by our company as terminal handling charges,’’ Usih said.
He told The Tide that the company might reduce its staff strength with the present situation.
In a reaction, a source close to the Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), confirmed the introduction of the new container handling charges for exports.
The source told The Tide that since the last 10 years of port concession, terminal operators were handling containers of exportable goods free of charge.
According to the source, the free charge cannot go on forever considering the situation in the country.
He said that the newly-introduced charges on containers to be exported were still lower than what importers were paying.
Maritime
Twenty-Four-Hour Port Operations Achievable, If -Nweke

The former President of the Nigeria Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Eugene Nweke, has said that only a political will would make the 24-hour port operations achievable.
Nweke made the disclosure during the Fifth Town Hall meeting organised by JournalNG held in Lagos on Thursday.
“24 hour port operations is achievable if government would give a clear order to the effect.
“Government should get a regulatory agency to supervise port operations accurately for monitoring and evaluation.
“Once everyone knows what to do, operators will be guided. It will not be a situation where government issues port order without monitoring and no enforcement.
“So, we need a political will to drive our ports for 24-hour port operations in Nigeria”, Nweke said.
He said government agencies should see the transformation as a necessity, same as port stakeholders.
Nweke continued that collaboration and partnership among stakeholders would enable both government and port users achieve 24-hour port operations.
He said any identified bottlenecks delaying the achievement of 24 hours ports operations should be removed and sanctioned accordingly.
He noted that port communities are meant for commercial activities, adding that necessary infrastructure should be considered in the ports to avoid unnecessary human element.
Nweke urged government to improve on infrastructure to make the ports more attractive and friendly for customers.
Also in his presentation, the Chairman, Nigeria Ports Consultative Council (NPCC), Mr. Bolaji Sunmola, said quest to actualise 24-hour port operations in Nigerian seaports was no longer aspirational but necessary.
He said with a carefully sequenced strategy anchored on technology, sustainability, and stakeholder alignment, Nigerian ports could be positioned as efficient, secure, and economically transformative assets.
As Chairman of NPCC, he reaffirmed commitment to this vision by inviting all stakeholders-MDAS, port terminal operators, energy providers, transport unions, and investors to join in executing this transformation.
The Assistant Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), Abass Oladepo, said Customs had been operating 24 hours port operations.
He said at Ports and Terminal Multi Services Ltd. (PTML) command the Customs had commenced 2-hour cargo clearance, adding that averagely in one-year the Command had achieved less than 6-hour ports clearance.
The town hall meeting was to sensitise stakeholders on Customs transformation known as B’Odogwu and urge importers to engage in honest declaration to enable them achieve few minutes cargo clearance.
In his contribution, the Managing Director, ENL Consortium, one of the terminal operators, Mr. Mark Walsh, urged Nigeria banks attached to ports cargo clearance operations to improve their operation to avoid delays in payments.
He commended the Federal Government and the Nigerian Ports Authority for modernising the ports, adding that there was need for 24-hour lighting at the ports, to stop them from running generators 24/7.
He noted that ports operation needs more lighting, especially for security during the night operations.
The General Manager, Trade Modernisation Project (TMP), Mr. Ahmed Ogunsola, urged stakeholders to collaborate and point out challenges hampering 24 hour port operations to provide solutions.
Ogunsola said TMP worked with the NCS to enhance cargo clearance by providing technology backbone, building capacity and to enhance sustainability.
He said 24 hour port operations was achievable with the collaboration of port users.
“The TMP had agreement with the Federal Government to provide 67 scanners and presently we have successfully brought five scanners into the country to modernise Nigeria Customs Service and facilitate trade”, Ogunsola said.
In his opening remarks, the Publisher, JournalNG magazine, Mr. Ismail Aniemu, said the forum gave the stakeholders opportunity to interact and come with recommendations to guide government in policy making.
Aniemu said many ports in Nigeria need to turn to smart ports, adding that Nigeria had competent expertise that would assist government to actualise the dream.
He said some of the port users were operating 24 hours and there was need fornit to be sustained collectively.
Maritime
Rice Smuggling Still Increasing In Creeks – RMIDN

Local rice merchants, under the aegis of Rice Millers, Importers and Distributors of Nigeria (RMIDN) have expressed displeasure over the upsurge in the smuggling of rice into the country through neighbouring Cotonou, Benin Republic.
According to RMIDN, Nigeria has lost an estimated N60 billion as a result of rice smuggling.
“Mostly Indian and Thailand rice that are imported into Cotonou find their way into Nigeria illegally with Western Creeks serving as gateway to the highest degree of these illicit imports”, RMIDN said.
Speaking exclusively with The Tide in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, Bayuf Farm limited, Chief Kabiru Idowu, noted the large scale concealment in trucks purportedly laden with dutiable goods to the fleet of vehicles under the cover of darkness, saying “Western Marine Creeks, is indeed a place to watch, if the economy of the nation must be protected”.
According to him, “the volume of imports for which revenue is lost on the part of the government may far outweigh the generated revenue and create an adverse affect on government policy to encourage local production of some products.
“It would also be recalled that in December, 2024, the Customs Area Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Compt. Kola Oladeji, disclosed to journalists at a briefing in the Command that smuggling of rice through the Western Creeks is on the increase, thereby placing a question mark on the proficiency of the Marine Command of the Customs.
According to him, the areas of water which flows into the land accounts for a higher degree of rice smuggling, adding that there is inlet through water behind Alaba market where smugglers are coming, with various items but with rice topping the lists.
Also, Mr. Tapenu Michael noted that importers of Nigeria bound goods through the Cotonou Port see the western waterways as most viable entry point either for evasion or concealment of prohibited items.
He emphasized that most items that fall under Federal Government import prohibition list or statutory barred from entering the country through land borders find their ways through the creeks.
Maritime
Truckers Raise Alarm Over NPA’s Call-Up System

The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has issued an urgent call to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) management and handlers of the eto electronic call-up system, urging immediate action to address what they describe as unfriendly policies hampering the direct delivery of cargo from the Lagos Port.
According to the Chairman of NARTO Metropolitan Unit, Abdullahi Moh’d Inuwa, the new policies under the eto call-up system have led to significant delays in truck approvals and discouraged truck operators from servicing the port.
“Direct delivery of cargo requires between 48 to 54 trucks daily per vessel, and with multiple vessels, at least 120 to 150 trucks are needed.
“However, the current approval process is slow, and many truckers now prefer loading outside the port due to the multiple levies and restrictions imposed”, Inuwa stated.
He warned that these developments threaten the business interests of consignees and importers, with many considering diverting cargo to other ports.
“Trucks are being forced to offload inside sheds, incurring extra charges and demurrage, which are eventually passed on to end users. Despite government efforts to reduce duties on agricultural products, the call-up process remains a major bottleneck”, he added.
The trucker said prompt intervention is crucial to restore confidence and ensure the smooth evacuation of cargo, which is vital for Nigeria’s import-dependent economy.
Truckers and port users have repeatedly complained about extortion by security agencies, racketeering in the call-up system, and policy inconsistencies that have resulted in gridlock, delays, and financial losses.
Industry sources confirm that the current system often favors certain operators, leaving others stranded and forcing importers to pay exorbitant fees to favours revalidate delivery orders.
NARTO is calling for a review of the eto call-up system to ensure fairness and efficiency, warning that continued inefficiencies could lead to further congestion, trade disruptions, and a shift of cargo traffic away from Apapa Port.
The association also appealed to security agencies to stop the harassment and extortion of truck drivers, and urged the NPA to harmonize safety requirements to avoid multiple taxation.
By: Stories by Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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