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Shippers Blame NSC For High Port Charges

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Worried by the frequent accusation and tongue lashing by port users over the lingering high port destination charges, shippers seem to be shifting blames to the Nigeria shippers Council (NSC)
Although the concession agreement between the Federal Government and the terminal operators which has continued to remain top secret to Nigerians may have put the terminal operators, shipping  lines at a dilemma, as to disclosing the factors responsible for continued high charges.
Speaking with our correspondent in Lagos recently,  on the development, the Managing Director and CEO of Mickey Excellency Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Abdulazeez Babatunde said the Nigerian shipper’s Council (NSC) has failed in its statutory responsibility as an apex regulatory body to protect the maritime operators from arbitrary charges from shipping lines and terminal operators. According to the former chairman, ANLCA Electoral Committee, shippers are being coerced into paying arbitrary charges without government intervention.
Babatunde a customs broker said that in the last two months, shipping lines have been collecting additional destination charges from shippers without due process. The charges according to a document made available to our correspondent dated October 10th, 2017 revealed that CMA, CGM, Shipping Nigeria limited, now charges N 38,000.00 for a  20 feet container and N 76,000.00 for a  40 feet container as destination fees, hence making it inevitable for the shippers to increase their charges to the end users.
Babatunde said the Shipper’s council as a regulator has not lived up to its expected roles, despites the Federal Government, approval mandating the council as port economic regulator, adding that shippers council can be best described as a toothless bull dog that can not bite.
At every stakeholders forum, the terminal operators and shipping lines have always been scolded and accused of high charges with clamours on the NSC and NIMASA as the supervisor aswell as regulatory agencies to prevail on the terminal operators and shipping companies to reduce their charges.
Disappointedly, the NSC has not been able to live up to its expected roles and the clamours continues, while stakeholders now view the port reform exercise, especially with the concession regime twenty years after as a bad and unfortunate, economic formular although the reverse is the case in some other countries practicing similar regime, notable among them are Colombia and Agentina where concession had led to over 200 percent to reduction in cost and tariff, according to research.
Our correspondent, efforts to reach out to the Director of Special Duty and Public Affairs, Chief Ignatius Nweke was unsuccessful as his mobile phone were not going through as at the time of filling this report, although a senior officer in the Public Relations Department who do not want his name in print confirmed the development, saying that the council is making every thing  possible to stop the shipping lines to revert to status quo.
In his words, ‘the charges are not new, it has been introduced two months back, and the freight forwarder delayed in protesting the increase, we have heard about  it and steps already taken to stop the collection.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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